'COVID-19 has exacerbated challenges faced by women': Minister Aishath

Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services Aishath Mohamed Didi, on Thursday, noted that COVID-19 has exacerbated challenges faced by women.

Speaking at the the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) high-level meeting on the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Minister Aishath emphasized that women were at the frontline "meeting all difficulties head on and prevailing and conquering".

"Energetic resourceful and dedicated women are fighting the valiant battle", she said, "ensuring the vulnerable people in our society our taken care of".

The Minister remarked that in line with the Beijing platform of action and Sustainable Development Goal Goal 5: Gender equality, the government had laid out goals and policy objectives under its Strategic Action Plan 2019-2023.

Minister Aishath further said that Maldives had accelerated its investments in government helplines, shelters and emergency funds for victims and survivors.

"Since the pandemic, in a pre-emptive approach, we began strengthening our capacity to monitor and respond to cases of domestic violence and child abuse using mechanisms implemented before the Maldives entered lockdown".

Minister Aishath further said that Maldives had accelerated its investments in government helplines, shelters and emergency funds for victims and survivors.

"The recognition that women are girls are disproportionately susceptible to climate change and natural disasters is an essential part of a gender responsive implementation of the 2030 agenda"

In conclusion, she called for development gains to be distributed equitably in recognition that SDGs will not be met without addressing gender equality, calling on the the implementation of a gender responsive 2030 agenda for sustainable development "where no one is left behind"

The ministry's monthly statistics for August revealed that 184 cases were received and attended to.

Notably, a total of 103 cases were submitted regarding violence perpetrated against children. Instances of sexual abuse were noted to be the most frequently reported with 36 cases brought to the attention of authorities throughout the month.

The ministry also recorded 28 cases of gender-based and domestic violence in August, the majority of which consisted of physical abuse and emotional abuse cases, with 10 reports each. The remaining cases include three cases of rape, two cases of sexual abuse, one case of neglect, one case of financial abuse and one case of property damage.

Earlier in February, an investigation by the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Gender into child abuse cases identified that only 390 out of a total of 3,100 of all child abuse cases reported to the police reached a conviction during the last 15 years.