Maldivian Civil Service Regulation 2014 has seen an amendment to the dress code where female employees in government offices are required to wear clothes that reach thigh length when they go to work.
The regulation outlines dress codes for both male and female employees.
The regulation stipulates that during official working hours, female employees must ensure that their posterior is fully covered and that their clothing is not shorter than two inches above the knee.
When attending to the public, the regulation further requires that attire must not violate social norms and must modestly cover the body.
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) said the change was introduced following complaints submitted to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, stating that there has been a decline in government employees adhering to the prescribed dress code while at work. The complaints requested corrective measures to address the issue.
The guideline describes how male employees should dress themselves during official working hours. The guideline also describes clothing, ties, belts and more that does not coincide with office environments and social norms.
How female employees should dress:
- Female employees may wear dhigu hedhun, traditional Maldivian libaas, or appropriate office attire. Such clothing must extend to the ankles and be made of fabric suitable for an office environment.
- Pants and trousers or pants and trousers worn with jackets are to be made with a fabric appropriate for office environments.
- The neckline of all attire should comply with social norms and should cover well below their necks. Short sleeved dresses should have sleeve lengths in between the shoulder and the elbow. Long sleeved dresses should have sleeves no longer than their wrists.
- If the top, side, front, back or hem of a dress, shirt or suit jacket has slits, and when they lift their arms up, not part of their midriff or torso should be visible. The length of such attire should not be more than two inches above the hip line.
- Employees should wear their office shoes or office slippers during official working hours.
The guideline states that for sports service categories where a specific uniform or attire has not been prescribed, female employees shall wear the clothing, shoes, and slippers specified for the relevant category.
The guideline also has descriptions regarding accessories, makeup and hair coloring.
The guideline states that employees must attend the office in a clean and presentable manner in line with social norms. It further specifies that wearing accessories or exaggerated makeup is not permitted. Employees are also required to keep their hair neat and ensure that it is not dyed in bold colors or highlights, with only black hair permitted.
How male employees should dress:
The guideline states that male employees are permitted to wear short-sleeved or long-sleeved shirts, including shirts with slits. Long-sleeved shirts must extend to the wrist, while short-sleeved shirts must not be shorter than two inches above the elbow.
Male employees should wear long trousers if they are wearing trousers and that the fabric should be appropriate for office environments.
For office shirts, all shirts except those with slits must be tucked in. When tucked in, the belt should remain visible and must be appropriate for official attire.
The guideline states that male employees are permitted to wear short-sleeved or long-sleeved shirts, including shirts with slits. Long-sleeved shirts must extend to the wrist, while short-sleeved shirts must not be shorter than two inches above the elbow.
Long- and short-sleeved shirts must be tucked in, and ties should be worn during official working hours. Shirts must not feature words, images, cartoons, photos, or any other depictions that violate social norms.
For sports service categories that do not specify a uniform or attire for male employees, the prescribed clothing includes the described shirts, trousers, and shoes according to the category. Employees must attend the office in a neat and presentable manner in line with social norms. Accessories, apart from minimal items such as rings, are not permitted, including on any other body parts.
The code that was set in the 2010 regulation for the civil service dress code has not been implemented. Instead, the code that was set in 2014 is currently being used.
During the Hulhumale' Phase 1 community meeting at Rehendhi School, President Muizzu noted that people have expressed concerns that the civil servant dress code has fallen out of step with current social dress standards.
The President said that the Maldives Civil Service Regulation originally had a strong code regarding civil servant attire. However, he noted that it had been altered for certain reasons, and the Civil Service Commission has now stated that it will begin reinstating the previous code.
