The 6th Periodic Report of Maldives submitted in 2019, was considered by the Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its 80th Session, on 20th and 21st October 2021.
At the review session, Maldives was represented by a high level and multi-sectorial delegation led by the Minister of Gender, Family and Social Service, Her Excellency Aishath Mohamed Didi, which for the first time, included officials from all three branches of the State. Attorney General, His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Riffath, Prosecutor General, His Excellency Mr. Hussain Shameem, Member of Parliament and Chairperson of Human Rights and Gender Committee of the Parliament, Honorable Ms. Jeehan Mahmood, Minister of State for Health, His Excellency Dr. Shah Abdullah Mahir, Minister of State for Economic Development, Her Excellency Ms. Neeza Imad, Spokesperson at the President’s Office, His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Mabrook Azeez, His Excellency Dr. Asim Ahmed, Permanent Representative of Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Deputy Commissioner of Police Abdul Mannan Yoosuf, Deputy Minister for Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, Mr. Mohamed Azim, Chief Judicial Administrator, Ms. Aishath Rizna, Chief Executive Officer of Family Protection Authority, Mr. Ibrahim Thayyib and senior officials from the Attorney General’s Office, Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Office, Maldives Immigration, Maldives Bureau of Statistics, and the Local Government Authority participated in the dialogue.
During the Introductory Statement, Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services highlighted the progress achieved by Maldives in ensuring women’s empowerment, work done by the Government to eliminate domestic violence, gender-based violence and discrimination against women, and establish equality for women within all spheres. In this regard, Minister highlighted the policies adopted under the Strategic Action Plan of the Government and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and reiterated the Government’s commitment to fully realise its policies despite the numerous challenges posed by the limited resources and the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister also shed light on the formulation of the Gender Equality Action Plan and plans to implement strategies on decentralized women and social protection.
During this two-day interactive dialogue, members of the CEDAW Committee posed questions to the Maldives’ delegation on policies to achieve gender mainstreaming in all sectors. Committee members inquired about the work done to protect the vulnerable population from violence and discrimination exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and commended the Government on a number of positive legal reforms and measures implemented to improve the situation of women’s rights in the Maldives.
The review session concluded with Maldives reiterating its commitment to implement and strengthened measures to end domestic violence, gender-based violence and discrimination against women and girls, and with the affirmation that Maldives will strive to introduce measures to increase women participation in the decision making processes, in the workforce, in non-stereotypical fields, and improve legislative safeguards ensuring them basic rights and freedoms, in line with the Convention and the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
21 October 2021