TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I .......................................................................................................................................................... 7
GENERAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................................... 7
A. DEMOGRAPHIC, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
MAURITIUS ............................................................................................................................................ 7
B. CONSTITUTIONAL, POLITICAL AND LEGAL STRUCTURE OF MAURITIUS....................... 9
THE CONSTITUTIONAL S TRUCTURE ................................................................................................... 9
THE LEGAL S TRUCTURE ...................................................................................................................... 9
THE POLITICAL S TRUCTURE OF MAURITIUS ................................................................................... 10
THE SUPREME COURT........................................................................................................................ 11
THE SUBORDINATE COURTS ............................................................................................................. 11
INTERMEDIATE COURT ...................................................................................................................... 11
INDUSTRIAL COURT ........................................................................................................................... 12
THE DISTRICT COURT ........................................................................................................................ 12
THE J UVENILE COURT ....................................................................................................................... 13
THE BAIL AND REMAND COURT ...................................................................................................... 13
THE J UDICIAL COMMITTEE OF T HE PRIVY COUNCIL ..................................................................... 13
FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ................... 14
ACCEPTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NORMS .......................................................... 14
LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AT THE NATIONAL
LEVEL .................................................................................................................................................... 19
NEW INSTITUTIONS AND MECHANISMS ........................................................................................... 20
NATIONAL LEGISLATIONS ................................................................................................................. 21
FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH HUMAN RIGHTS ARE PROMOTED AT NATIONAL LEVEL.... 25
HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS ............................................................................................................. 25
I.
T HE OFFICE OF T HE OMBUDSMAN ........................................................................................... 25
II.
T HE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ....................................................................... 26
III.
T HE OMBUDSPERSON FOR CHILDREN’S OFFICE (OCO) ..................................................... 30
IV.
T HE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMISSION (EOC) .............................................................. 31
V.
INDEPENDENT POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMISSION ............................................................. 32
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