Decriminalization of sodomy
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court made a historic ruling by declaring sodomy no longer a criminal offense in the country. This decision came after the Court deemed Article 250 of the Penal Code, which criminalized sodomy, as unconstitutional.
The legal process began on September 6, 2019, when a group of four young individuals from the LGBTQ+ community petitioned the Supreme Court to challenge Article 250 of the Penal Code, arguing that it violated their fundamental rights and freedoms. The permission to proceed with their constitutional complaint was granted in 2020.
Unemployment rate drops to 6.4%
Statistics Mauritius released new unemployment data for the country. According to their report, by the end of the second quarter of this year, there were 553,200 employed individuals in Mauritius, marking an increase of 1,400 compared to the first quarter of 2023. Consequently, the unemployment rate at the end of the second quarter stood at 6.4%, a notable improvement compared to the 8.1% recorded during the same period last year.
Statistics Mauritius also revealed that out of the 38,100 unemployed Mauritians, 15,600 were men and 22,500 were women. Young people continue to face a challenging situation, with an estimated unemployment rate of 18.1%.
Decrease in staple food prices
The latest data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows a positive trend in the prices of essential food items. After a significant increase, prices have been gradually declining since July. The global food price index, which peaked at 159.7 in March 2022, has steadily decreased to 140.6 in July, 131.8 in December of the same year, and finally reached 121.4 last month.
This trend is also affecting the international market for fundamental food products like meat, dairy, cereals, oils, and sugar. For instance, dairy product prices have followed a similar trajectory, with the price index dropping from 134.5 in January this year to 111.3 last month.
