OIM - Internal Migration between the Islands of Rodrigues and Mauritius de 2025

International Organization for Migration Mauritius and Seychelles Office Atalian T ower, 12th Floor, 57 Labourdonnais Street Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius T el.: +230 210 4250 • Email: iommauritius@iom.int • Website: www.iom.int Internal migration between the islands of Rodrigues and Mauritius Drivers, challenges and opportunities for supportThe opinions expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the report do not imply expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental organization, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. _____________________________ This publication was made possible through support provided by the IOM Development Fund, under the terms of Bouze Rodrig: Pour une Migration Réussie – Strengthening Migration Management for Sustainable Development with a Focus on Internal Migration Project. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of IOM.

Publisher: International Organization for Migration Mauritius and Seychelles Office

Atalian T ower, 12th Floor, 57 Labourdonnais Street Port Louis Republic of Mauritius T el.: +230 210 4250

Email: iommauritius@iom.int Website: www.iom.int Cover photo: After an early morning catch, small fishing boats are anchored near shore in the lagoon that surrounds Rodrigues island. © IOM 2024/Leanne DIXON PERERA Required citation: International Organization for Migration (IOM) (2025). Internal Migration between the Islands

Website: www.iom.int Cover photo: After an early morning catch, small fishing boats are anchored near shore in the lagoon that surrounds Rodrigues island. © IOM 2024/Leanne DIXON PERERA Required citation: International Organization for Migration (IOM) (2025). Internal Migration between the Islands of Rodrigues and Mauritius: Drivers, Challenges and Opportunities for Support. IOM, Geneva. _____________________________

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publications@iom.int. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/legalcode PUB2024/064/ELInternal migration between the islands of Rodrigues and Mauritius Drivers, challenges and opportunities for support

Prepared by: Leanne Dixon Pereraiii

INTERNAL MIGRATION BETWEEN THE ISLANDS OF RODRIGUES AND MAURITIUS:

DRIVERS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report, which was authored by Leanne Dixon Perera, presents the findings of a research study made possible by the valuable contributions of many participants, colleagues and stakeholders in Mauritius and Rodrigues Island. In particular, the author is deeply grateful to each and every migrant who took the time and care to share their personal stories and experiences for the purpose of this study. This work was greatly enriched by their participation. The research would not have been possible without the remarkable commitment of the team

to each and every migrant who took the time and care to share their personal stories and experiences for the purpose of this study. This work was greatly enriched by their participation. The research would not have been possible without the remarkable commitment of the team at IOM Mauritius. Warmest thanks are extended to Ms Tania Labour, Mr Moonish Abheemaun and Mr Muhammad Azhar Ali Curumthaullee, whose support, dedication and humanity went above and beyond. This report represents the fruits of their collective effort and talents. Kind thanks are also extended to Ms Céline Lemmel, Mr Niven Muneesamy and Ms Alia Hirji for their respective leadership, direction and oversight over the course of the project. Finally, the author is grateful to the many individuals in government and non-governmental capacities who contributed their time, insights and expertise during the research, drafting and validation process. Special thanks are expressed to the project focal point at the Prime Minister’s Office (Rodrigues Division), Mrs Axelle Nanette-Juliette, for her unmatched energy, professionalism and excellence.v

INTERNAL MIGRATION BETWEEN THE ISLANDS OF RODRIGUES AND MAURITIUS:

DRIVERS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT v CONTENTS Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii List of figures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

List of tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Executive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Introduction and objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi 1.

Context: Existing evidence and policy landscape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1. Literature review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2. Relevant institutional, legal and policy frameworks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

2. Guiding research questions and scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 2.1. Thematic areas of research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

2.2. Scope and target population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 3. Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 3.1. Internal migrants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 3.2. State and non-State stakeholders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 3.3. Limitations of the study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 4. Findings and discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 4.1. Drivers of migration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

4.2. Circumstances related to migration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 5. Policy recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Stream 1. Migrant empowerment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Stream 2. Access to housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Stream 3. Employment and training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Stream 4. Institutional capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Annexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Annex 1. Responsibilities of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Annex 2. Demographics of survey respondents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Annex 3. List of stakeholders consulted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78List of figures vi

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Whole of migration cycle, depicted by migration stage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Figure 2. Map of Rodrigues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Figure 3. Highest level of educational attainment in Mauritius and Rodrigues, 2011 (% of island population). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Figure 4. Reasons for migration from Rodrigues to Mauritius among low-income group by sex (number of respondents). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Figure 5. Reasons for migration from Rodrigues to Mauritius among middle-income group by sex (number of respondents). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Figure 6. Map of the island of Mauritius with demarcated districts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Figure 7.

among middle-income group by sex (number of respondents). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Figure 6. Map of the island of Mauritius with demarcated districts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Figure 7. Guiding research questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Figure 8.

Population in focus: Rodriguan migrants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Figure 9. Challenges identified during settlement and return. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Figure 10. Needs assessment among Cité La Cure respondents (number of respondents). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Figure 11. Reported monthly income of Cité La Cure respondents (number of respondents). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Figure 12. Employment situation of Cité La Cure respondents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Figure 13. Job distribution of Cité La Cure respondents (% of employed population). . . . 55 Figure 14. Experience finding stable work in Mauritius among Cité La Cure respondents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Figure 15. Support network in Mauritius among Cité La Cure respondents . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Figure 15. Support network in Mauritius among Cité La Cure respondents . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Figure 16. Proposed goal, scope and streams of policy action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Figure A17. Age distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Figure A18. Gender distribution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Figure A19. Highest level of education completed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Figure A20. Ancestry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Figure A21. Duration of residence in Mauritius. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Figure A22. Duration of residence in Mauritius by age group (number of respondents) . . . 76vii

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Estimated comparative population data on islands of Mauritius and

INTERNAL MIGRATION BETWEEN THE ISLANDS OF RODRIGUES AND MAURITIUS:

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Estimated comparative population data on islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, 2022. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Table 2. Employment by industrial sector and sex, 2022. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Table 3. Five-year migration streams from Rodrigues to mainland Mauritius by district . . . 7 Table 4. Five-year migration streams from mainland Mauritius to Rodrigues by district . . . 7 Table 5. Financial assistance offered to Rodriguan students based on monthly family income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Table 6. Eligibility income thresholds for the Social Register of Mauritius, as of 2023. . . . 26 Table 7. Rodriguan migrant participants on both islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Table 8. Number of medical patients transferred to Mauritius by month, 2023. . . . . . . . . 42 Table 9. Common binaries used to distinguish the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues. . . 43 Table 10. Number of registered jobseekers whose files were transferred from the Employment Information Centre in Rodrigues to the Employment Information Centres in Mauritius, by regional Employment Information

Table 9. Common binaries used to distinguish the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues. . . 43 Table 10. Number of registered jobseekers whose files were transferred from the Employment Information Centre in Rodrigues to the Employment Information Centres in Mauritius, by regional Employment Information Centre, 2019–2023. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60ix

INTERNAL MIGRATION BETWEEN THE ISLANDS OF RODRIGUES AND MAURITIUS:

DRIVERS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Internal migration, particularly from the outer island of Rodrigues, is a prevailing phenomenon in Mauritius. In this context, a research study was conducted to better understand why people move between the islands of Rodrigues and Mauritius and what challenges they face, with a view towards exploring how these challenges can be met. This involved a survey of and interviews and focus group discussions with over 80 internal migrants on both islands, and key informant interviews and roundtable discussions with representatives of 26 government and non-governmental stakeholders. This report details the study’s findings and is intended to support the Government of Mauritius, including the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, with recommendations on how to better support and protect inter-island migrants. With respect to migration drivers, Rodriguan migrants move to Mauritius for a wide range of reasons, though predominantly to find work and earn money. Other important motivations include environmental factors and access to services such as health care, higher education and water. Young Rodriguans emphasize personal aspirations, such as growth, independence and freedom as highly relevant in their decision to leave Rodrigues. For returnees, strong ties to family back home, difficulties in Mauritius and a desire to contribute new skills were reported. Mauritian and Rodriguan migrants alike also shared a preference for a calmer and more peaceful atmosphere in Rodrigues, as compared to Mauritius. A special case of gendered and circular

family back home, difficulties in Mauritius and a desire to contribute new skills were reported. Mauritian and Rodriguan migrants alike also shared a preference for a calmer and more peaceful atmosphere in Rodrigues, as compared to Mauritius. A special case of gendered and circular movement was noted among Rodriguan women entrepreneurs whose migration was attributed to various factors, namely access to a wider trade market to sell their goods, strong linkages to the Rodriguan diaspora and, most interestingly, the use of private medical facilities. Findings from the study reveal several challenges facing internal migrants, such as housing and living conditions, financial difficulties, lack of structured support and access to services, discrimination, difficulty adapting in Mauritius, as well as family separation and challenges finding jobs upon return to Rodrigues. Support networks were varied among the sampled migrant respondents, though they were mostly ad hoc and in the social sphere (e.g. friends and family). Institutionalized support from government was reported to some degree among the sample, in both the origin and destination contexts. However, findings indicate that the Rodrigues Information and Support Desks in Port Louis and Port Mathurin, which were established to assist internal migrants, have not been performing as intended with very limited impact, and virtually there is no beneficiary uptake at these sites. In light of the findings, policy recommendations are made within four thematic streams of action, with the specific aim of directly supporting people on the move between the islands.

These streams include: (1) migrant empowerment; (2) safe, appropriate and affordable housing; (3) mainstreaming mobility into employment and training; and (4) institutional capacity through training, coordination and data. Together, their specific activities intend to achieve a broader goal of creating an ecosystem for safe, successful and dignified migration.xi

INTERNAL MIGRATION BETWEEN THE ISLANDS OF RODRIGUES AND MAURITIUS:

DRIVERS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT xi INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE Internal migration, particularly from the outer island of Rodrigues, is a prevailing and longstanding phenomenon in Mauritius. Previous studies have shown that internal migrants from Rodrigues generally leave due to limited job opportunities at home, and, in some cases, they settle in precarious conditions once in Mauritius.1 However, very little is known about other factors that influence these migration flows and, why, in some cases, migrants return to Rodrigues. Importantly, the characteristics of inter-island migration – such as the difficulties that migrants face and the support (or lack thereof) that they receive – are largely understudied. This report presents the findings of a mixed methods study that was undertaken to better understand this landscape, throughout the migration cycle: why people move and what challenges they face, with a view towards exploring how these challenges can be met. Alongside a comprehensive mapping of relevant national and regional legal, institutional and policy frameworks, the following research questions guided the study: (1) What motivates and leads people to migrate between the islands? (2) What challenges do migrants face and what support do they use to overcome them? (3) How can migrants be better supported throughout the migration cycle? The overall objective of this report is to provide the Government of Mauritius, including the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, with up-to-date evidence and recommendations on how to establish an assistance framework for inter-island migrants. More concretely, it is intended to be a key input into the development of an action plan on internal migration for Rodrigues. As such, these serve as tools to mobilize stakeholders in the protection of migrants. This study is one component of the IOM project Bouze Rodrig: pour une migration réussie (2023–2025).2 In parallel, a data-focused activity was concurrently carried out to identify data priorities, needs and expectations with respect to internal migration between the islands. In terms of the report’s structure, section 1 begins by setting out the context within which the

(2023–2025).2 In parallel, a data-focused activity was concurrently carried out to identify data priorities, needs and expectations with respect to internal migration between the islands. In terms of the report’s structure, section 1 begins by setting out the context within which the study is situated: a literature review on what is known on the topic, and the applicable legal, institutional and policy frameworks. Section 2 describes the guiding research questions and scope of the study, followed by section 3, which details the study’s methodology with respect to data collection and analysis. Section 4 presents the findings and discussion of the research, homing in on the drivers of migration and the challenges and types of support identified by participants. Section 5 concludes the report by outlining potential policy interventions for consideration. 1 Here and throughout this report, “Mauritius” refers to the island of Mauritius. The Republic of Mauritius (the State) is referred to by its full name. 2 For more on this project, see the IOM Development Fund project summary.1

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1

1. CONTEXT: EXISTING EVIDENCE AND POLICY LANDSCAPE This section sets out the context for the research examined in this report. First, a literature review highlights what is known about inter-island migration between the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues. The policy landscape in which inter-island migration takes place, including pertinent institutions, laws and programmes, is then mapped out. Together, these components provide the backdrop for the discussion in subsequent sections. 1. 1. Literature review The literature review consolidates the existing evidence base on the topic of internal migration between Rodrigues and Mauritius as published by researchers, organizations (e.g. government departments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)) and the media. It includes secondary sources and grey literature. The review is thematically presented by stage of the migration cycle (i.e. organized by origin, migration, destination and

between Rodrigues and Mauritius as published by researchers, organizations (e.g. government departments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)) and the media. It includes secondary sources and grey literature. The review is thematically presented by stage of the migration cycle (i.e. organized by origin, migration, destination and return) and the associated topic of interest. Figure 1.  Whole of migration cycle, depicted by migration stage Source: Created by the author using PowerPoint, 2024.

Note: This map is for illustration purposes only. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the International Organization for

Migration. Pre-departure Departure and migration Arrival Settlement and integration Return and reintegration, if applicable Migration cycle

MAURITIUS

RODRIGUES DESTINATION ORIGINContext: Existing evidence and policy landscape 2 1.1.1. Origin: Rodrigues Rodrigues is an outer island in the Republic of Mauritius.3 It is located about 600 km to the north-east of mainland Mauritius and is the smallest of the major islands in the Mascarene archipelago with a surface area of 108 sq km. Its capital is Port Mathurin in the north-west of the island. Figure 2.  Map of Rodrigues

Source: Poonit, 2011.

Note: This map is for illustration purposes only. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the International Organization for

Migration. Demographics Rodriguans4 – that is, people born in Rodrigues – are mostly of African descent. Rodriguan Creole (Kreol Rodrige) is the most common language of exchange, and Catholicism is the main religion. According to the latest census (2022), the island of Rodrigues has a population of 43,650, and the resident female population (~51%) slightly outnumber the male population (~49%) (Statistics Mauritius, 2022d).

main religion. According to the latest census (2022), the island of Rodrigues has a population of 43,650, and the resident female population (~51%) slightly outnumber the male population (~49%) (Statistics Mauritius, 2022d). Population density is lower in Rodrigues than the mainland island of Mauritius. However, the crude birth rate in Rodrigues is significantly higher: in 2022, it was 19.5, as compared to 9.2 in Mauritius. When observing population change (by count and average annual growth rate) over the latest intercensal period from 2011 to 2022, the population of Rodrigues increased by 3,220 people (+0.70%), while the population of the island of Mauritius registered a decrease of 5,110 (-0.42%) (Statistics Mauritius, 2023b). 3 The Republic of Mauritius comprises the main island of Mauritius and smaller “outer islands.” Rodrigues is the largest of the outer islands. 4 Persons from the island of Rodrigues are also referred to as Rodriguais (French) or Rodrige (Creole).3

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3 In terms of age structure, Rodrigues has a younger population (both sexes), with a lower mean and median age. For example, in 2022, the median age in Rodrigues was about 8.5 years younger (29.8) than in Mauritius (38.3) (Statistics Mauritius, 2022a and 2022b). The latest data on family backgrounds and structure were not available at the time of writing. Table 1.  Estimated comparative population data on islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, 2022 Island Population Density per square kilometre Population change between 2021 and 2022 (%) Crude birth rate in 2022 (%) Crude death rate in 2022 (%) Mean age

Population Density per square kilometre Population change between 2021 and 2022 (%) Crude birth rate in 2022 (%) Crude death rate in 2022 (%) Mean age in 2022 (%) Median age in 2022 (%) Island of Mauritius 1 216 139 651 -0.25 9.2 10.3 38.9 38.3 Island of Rodrigues 44 783 407 0.80 19.5 8.0 33.1 29.8

Source: Statistics Mauritius, 2022a, 2022b and 2023b.

Economy Most households in Rodrigues are rural and depend on subsistence agriculture (e.g. animal and livestock rearing as well as lagoon fishing) and microenterprises (IFAD, 2013). The economy is relatedly based on agriculture and fishing, with tourism as an important source of revenue (Mauritius, Republic of, n.d.a). In addition, handicraft production (hats, bags) made of jute and other local plants is an increasingly significant source of income for families (Sobhee, 2016). Unlike mainland Mauritius, the economy of Rodrigues is small and less diversified, as there is no sugar cultivation, nor comparable export manufacturing or financial services. Given the absence of business opportunities apart from tourism, the island depends heavily on the central government for funding (Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2022). Unemployment and informal employment In 2022, the unemployment rate in the Republic of Mauritius was estimated to be 7.7 per cent (Statistics Mauritius, 2022c). The latest available data (Mauritius, Republic of, 2016a) disaggregated by the islands present a significant gap: unemployment was estimated at

(Statistics Mauritius, 2022c). The latest available data (Mauritius, Republic of, 2016a) disaggregated by the islands present a significant gap: unemployment was estimated at 25 per cent on the island of Rodrigues compared to 7.9 per cent in Mauritius in 2015.5 In Rodrigues, there were 3,743 registered unemployed jobseekers in June 2023, with 47 per cent between the age of 16 and 29 years (Mauritius, Republic of, 2023b). This suggests that youth unemployment is a particularly acute issue in Rodrigues. Gendered disparities were more pronounced for jobseekers between the ages of 20 and 39 where women were overrepresented as compared to men. For the working population, the large majority of workers in Rodrigues were employed in the tertiary sector (62%) with roughly similar proportions in the primary (20%) and secondary (18%) sectors (Table 2). 5 It is worth noting that the Rodrigues Regional Assembly (RRA) recently reported an unemployment rate (taux de chômage) of 48 per cent for the 2022–2023 fiscal year (Grandcourt, 2024:38.)Context: Existing evidence and policy landscape 4 Table 2.  Employment by industrial sector and sex, 2022 Industrial sector Male Female Total Primary 2 000 1 400 3 400 Secondary 2 500 600 3 100 of which: Manufacturing 600 600 1 200 Tertiary 5 400 5 300 10 700 of which: Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 1 000 800 1 800

Accommodation and food service activities 400 600 1 000

Public administration and defence; compulsory social security 1 700 1 100 2 800 Total 9 900 7 300 17 200

Source: Statistics Mauritius, 2023a.

800 1 800

Accommodation and food service activities 400 600 1 000

Public administration and defence; compulsory social security 1 700 1 100 2 800 Total 9 900 7 300 17 200

Source: Statistics Mauritius, 2023a.

However, informality is a dominant feature of employment with recent estimates, suggesting that the informal sector accounted for about 73 per cent of the total workforce in 2020.6 In fact, only 1,400 individuals were estimated to be employed in formal enterprises (except for civil servants) that year, while 13,000 were informal or working with microenterprises. Public administration jobs made up the majority of the formal employment sector, estimated at 71 per cent. Poverty Within the Republic of Mauritius, Rodrigues is the poorest administrative region (World Bank Group, 2015). Based on the Household Budget Survey data, in 2017, the proportion of households in relative poverty based on the relative poverty line of 7,509 Mauritian rupees (MUR)7 for the Republic of Mauritius was estimated at 37.3 per cent on the island of Rodrigues, relative to 9.6