Democracy and Political Governance 331. The CRM learnt that Mauritius had invested massively in its education system to redress the inequalities between its ethnically diverse people. However, even though there is free education for all, Mauritius is unfortunately far from producing an adequate number of properly educated and trained young people. Mauritian schools suffer from high dropout rates, high illiteracy, a shortage of teaching and learning materials, and an inadequate supply of suitably trained teachers. The Situation Analysis of Women and Children Report, produced by the MWRCDFW in 2003, revealed that one of the most serious problems of the education system is the failure rate in the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) examination. The failure rate has been about 60 per cent for the past 10 years and, in some deprived regions, as high as between 60 and 70 per cent. Educational inequalities have very deep causes in the wider socioeconomic and historical inequalities that persist in the country. It is necessary to consider abandoning the CPE, reinforcing the (ZEP) and introducing Creole at the primary school level. 332. Stakeholders also raised the issue of the sexual exploitation of children. The CRM was concerned about the great number of child victims of abuse and the impunity that perpetrators enjoy. According to a 2003 study that the University of Mauritius conducted25, the commercial sexual exploitation of children is well organised in the country. Powerful criminal networks, helped by intermediaries like taxi drivers, caretakers of bungalows and pensionnat (boarding schools), staff from hotels, bars and nightclubs, relatives of the children, and some influential members of society, perpetrate it. 333. Child victims come from all regions and ethnic groups. It is estimated that around 2,600 girls below the age of 18 are currently exploited through commercial sex. The Save the Children Foundation Report on Mauritius (http://www.scf.org.in/resources/image/MAURITIUS.pdf) indicates that children generally become prostitutes between the ages of 10 and 17. The average age is 13. 334. 144 Chapter 3 Mauritius passed the Child Protection Act in 1994 to address the issue of the commercial sexual exploitation of children. It amended the act in 2005 to prohibit child trafficking explicitly. However, analysts are criticising the legal provisions for child prostitution, because they are not comprehensive and because the standards set in international law are unclear. They call for more revisions. Current laws forbid causing, inciting or allowing a child to engage in prostitution. They also forbid procuring, enticing, exploiting or facilitating child prostitution. The definition of prostitution is nevertheless vague and unclear. It may 25 - http://www.ecpat.net/A4A_2005/PDF/AF/Global_Monitoring_Report-MAURITIUS.pdf. Chapter 3 Democracy and Political Governance be that certain sexual acts with children are not criminalised. None of these laws bans using a child in sexual activities for payment or any other form of remuneration according to the definition in the Optional Protocol (which Mauritius should ratify as an initial step). In addition, the Child Protection Act and the Criminal Code overlap and have varying punishments for acts similar to prostituting a child. Mauritius should integrate these provisions with a law that defines child prostitution fully and prohibits it in order to comply with international standards.26 335. Stakeholders raised the absence of comprehensive units, with specialised personnel, to care for the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration of abused children, as well as the lack of alternative homes for children. The CRM also noted that Mauritius had not done enough to provide children with alternative ways of making livelihoods or to rehabilitate and reintegrate them fully into society. 336. The CRM was also concerned about the frequent cases of violence, especially sexual violence, and neglect where children are the victims. It was also worried that drug abuse is widespread among some of them, despite the sensitisation and prevention campaigns that government services and civil society have conducted. Stakeholders were troubled about the dangers that the Internet and mobile phones pose for children. They were particularly concerned about pornographic sites, harassment, abuse and other threats. The CRM learnt that a bill aimed at protecting children from the dangers of the Internet was being finalised. The bill is one of the recommendations of the Child Safety Online Action Plan. Four institutions have decided to combine their efforts to protect children from the dangers of the Internet by launching a television programme on Child Safety Online. They are the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, the MWRCDFW, the MECHR, and the National Computer Board (NCB). 337. Child delinquency has doubled at several levels in the country over the past few years. Children aged 15 years or less have been involved in many cases of attack and theft. Stakeholders were worried about this increase in delinquency among young people. The changes in the country have certainly favoured the development of the Mauritian economy and improved the standard of living. However, they have also had a negative effect on families, especially the youth. With the accelerating pace of life, many active parents have very little time for their children. Some have blamed the education system, which places too much importance on performance and too little on 26 - Monitoring Global. Report on the Status of Action against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Child-ren. Mauritius (http://www.ecpat.net/ A4A_2005/PDF/AF/Global_Monitoring_Report-MAURITIUS.pdf.) 145