Minister Uteem urges stronger action to address gender leadership gap

Breaking barriers to leadership and advancing gender inclusion were at the centre of discussions at the Gender-Inclusive Leadership Conference themed ‘Bold and Brilliant: Power Has No Gender’, held this morning at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel in Port Louis.
Organised by MA Partners Ltd, the Conference brought together leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals to share experiences and exchange perspectives on resilience, leadership and success. The event was attended by the Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations, Mr Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem; the Managing Director at MA Partners, Ms Maëta Appavou; and other personalities.
In his address, Minister Uteem described the initiative as an important platform to address the challenges that continue to hinder women’s progression into leadership roles. Drawing on recent national and international data, he highlighted persistent gaps in labour force participation, employment and representation in decision-making positions, noting that despite progress in education and health outcomes, women remain underrepresented in senior leadership and political spheres.
The Minister further emphasised that structural and cultural barriers, including entrenched gender stereotypes and unequal caregiving responsibilities, continue to shape women’s career advancement and limit access to leadership opportunities across sectors. He stressed that greater efforts are needed to move beyond awareness and towards meaningful action through supportive workplace policies, improved childcare solutions and stronger representation of women in leadership structures. “Sustained collaboration between Government and the private sector,” he added, “remains essential to building a more equitable and inclusive environment where opportunities are accessible to all.”
For her part, Ms Appavou underscored that although women have made significant progress in education and professional participation, this progress is not yet fully reflected in leadership and decision-making positions. She stated that leadership should be defined by vision, courage and impact rather than gender, and called for more inclusive workplace practices and deliberate action to create equal opportunities, unlock talent and support sustainable national progress.

21 May 2026

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Topics: Gender, Others