two tea breaks of at least 10 minutes each. A young person cannot be employed in an industrial
undertaking between 10.00 p.m. and 05.00 a.m.
33.
A new Workers’ Rights Act 2019 repealing the Employment Rights Act 2008 has been
passed in the National Assembly, but has yet to be proclaimed by the President. Subsequently,
Section 20 of the Workers’ Rights Act, once promulgated, will provide for 9 hours of work per
day.
MIGRANT WORKERS- ‘KNOW YOUR RIGHTS’ PAMPHLET
34. Government has launched a Know Your Rights pamphlet on 23 March 2019 intended for
(35000) migrant workers working in the secondary economic activities including construction and
manufacturing of food products, beverages, textile and garments, paper products, chemical
products, plastic products, fabricated metal products, furniture and machinery and equipment. The
pamphlet aims at informing prospective and current migrant workers of their rights and possible
remedial actions in case of violations. The pamphlet is available in 6 languages namely English,
French, Hindi, Tamil, Bangla and Mandarin. With the publication of this pamphlet and wider
publicity in respect of the rights of migrant workers, abuses and ill treatment are expected to
become inexistent. The pamphlets have been distributed to migrant workers and employers and
will also be distributed to new migrant workers at the Immigration Counter at the Airport.
35. Regarding migrant workers, sensitisation campaigns on the rights of migrant workers are
held at the work place and also they are fully supported by the respective Trade Unions to which
they are a member. The personnel of the Flying Squad of the Ministry of Labour, Industrial
Relations, Employment and Training which ensures compliance with the labour legislations, in
particular the terms and conditions of employment of migrant workers, has been reinforced in 2018
from 5 to 16 Officers. Statistics on number of inspection visits carried out by Flying squad is at
paragragh 177 of Part I.
COMBATING TRAFFICKING AND ALL FORMS OF SERVITUDE
36. The US Trafficking In Person Report of the US Department of State, has rated Mauritius in
Tier 2, for the last 3 years (2016-2018). The US Report on Trafficking in Persons for the year 2019
was released in June 2019. Though the report recognizes the overall increasing efforts of
Government compared to the previous reporting, the rating has nevertheless remained at Tier 2.
37. The Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act is the main legislation that gives effect to the
United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in persons, prevent and
combat trafficking in persons, and protect and assist victims of trafficking.
38. The Act provides that any person who trafficks another person or allows another person to
be trafficked shall commit an offence. It shall not be a defence to a charge of trafficking that a
64