Gov. to seek opinion of children to draft child-related policies

The government will seek the opinion of children in drafting crucial child-related policies, says Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services.

Speaking during a press conference this Sunday morning, Shidhatha Shareef said that though seeking opinion of children before forming policies may not be commonplace, the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services found it important for drafting policies and legislature which have a direct impact on them.

“Though it may not be commonplace in this community, we will place special importance on seeking opinion of children in forming child-related policies. And we are doing that now,” said Shidhatha.

Shidhatha said that 2,345 cases were filed with the ministry in 2018, nearly double the 1,300 cases filed with the ministry in 2017.

She said that more than 50 percent of the cases filed with the ministry were child-related.

During the press conference this Sunday, Shidhatha announced the ministry plans to increase the efficiency of the reporting mechanism and work closer together with local communities in order to increase the efficiency of its work.

She said that communities have been established in 89 islands so far as part of the networks which will be established under community based rehabilitation.

Shidhatha also announced the objectives in the government’s First 30-Day Agenda which has been successfully implemented by the ministry. They are:

• Making Aasandha health insurance services available even on expired national ID cards
• Drafting a new legislature on protection of child rights
• Making therapeutic treatments for persons with disabilities available via Aasandha health insurance
• Opening employment opportunities to persons with disabilities

She also announced additional objectives which the ministry plans to fulfil within the next 70 days. They are:

• Developing the foster care system
• Developing the system for transfer of guardianship of children in the system to family members
• Improving quality of State orphanages
• Providing Aasandha health insurance services to Maldivians in Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia
• Expanding services of Center for Special Needs at K. Guraidhoo
• Establish drug rehabilitation centers in three locations in Maldives