Government to increase women in influential posts to 33 percent

Government has assembled a regulation to increase the number of women in influential political posts to 33 percent, Dr Mariyam Shakeela.

Speaking at an event at STELCO to mark the International Women’s Day today, the Health and Gender Minister said the decision to place a minimum requirement through regulation is part of the government's policy to empower women and provide them with opportunities in politics.

“Under a policy to provide political careers for women, we are trying to pass a cabinet paper to increase the number of women in politically empowered positions to 33 percent. Once the regulation comes into force, it will increase women’s influence in national, economic, social arenas,” said Dr Shakeela.

The Health and Gender Minister also announced that the government has established a council for economic empowerment to encourage women’s participation in economic activities.

“I hope this council provides further economic opportunities for women and create awareness amongst women on economic issues,” said the Gender Minister.

The Ministry of Health and Gender is further working, with support from the Asian Development Bank, to assemble a Gender Equality Law, a framework to set legislative standards in the Maldives to comply with the Constitution and international conventions that Maldives has acceded.

Minister of Health and Gender Dr Mariyam Shakeela noted in her speech today that numerous educated women are barred from contributing to the country’s development because of their gender and that the gender gap must be closed, especially in opportunities to contribute for the development of the country.