Two percent of children in Maldives live without a parent: Statistics

Two percent of children in the Maldives live without a parent, according to the latest figures released by the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS).

The data, published on International Children’s Day, is based on findings from the 2022 Census.

It shows that while 74 percent of children under 18 live with both parents, and 22 percent live with either their mother or father, a small but significant 2 percent live without a parent entirely.

These children, amounting to over 2,700 out of an estimated 134,863 child population in 2024, are often in the care of other close relatives. The report notes regional variations, with the highest proportions of children without parental care found in Baa Atoll at 3.3 percent, Kaafu Atoll with 2.9 percent, and Male' at 2.7 percent.

Children living without a parent stood at 2.4 percent in Noonu, Lhaviyani, Faafu and Seenu atolls while it was 2.1 percent in Laamu and Gnaviyani atolls.

The MBS report "Child Equity Census", highlights that children are widely dispersed across the islands, with more than 77,000 living in islands outside the capital.

Of the total child population, 52 percent are boys and 48 percent are girls.