UN Congratulates the Maldives for Passing the Bill to Address Domestic Violence

The United Nations congratulates the Majlis for passing the bill to address domestic violence in the country.  The successful vote on the Domestic Violence Bill is a testament to the passion, optimism and dedication of the political parties, ministries, non-government organizations and grassroots activists who actively worked to reach this goal.  The UN congratulates them on this important achievement. 

The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Andrew Cox, said, “The enactment of the Domestic Violence Bill into law is urgently needed in the Maldives which has a high rate of gender-related violence, particularly affecting women and girls.  The passage of the bill is a good example of how dialogue among different groups and cross-party cooperation can yield beneficial results to the country.”

A national survey on “Women’s Health and Life Experiences” conducted with the support of UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO showed that 1 in 3 Maldivian women aged 15-49 reported experiencing some form of physical or sexual violence at least once during their lifetime. Information from Family Protection Units indicates a high prevalence of gender based violence including child abuse, and that 87% of the perpetrators are known to the survivors. 

The passage of the DV bill is in line with Maldives’ international obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).  The last CEDAW Report on the Maldives underscored the urgent need to address gender-based violence in the country, to put in place the appropriate legislative frameworks for prevention and protection, and the building of stronger protective services for women and children.