President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated the most significant contributions to democratic progress in recent history have been the amendments brought to the Decentralisation Act. He made the remark in the statement published on the occasion of World Democracy Day 2022.
In the statement, President Solih said the amendments to the Decentralisation Act improved governance and reinforced the protection of the rights of the people. He highlighted the progress made in ensuring that the voices of the people were reflected in policy making and noted that the highest responsibility of a democratic government is to ensure that the people get to choose who should serve them and their interests in government. He further said that Maldivians are aware of their stake in government, which aims to empower the citizens. He emphasised the numerous efforts made to eliminate gender bias and provide equal opportunities for women, including adapting and amending laws.
Furthermore, President Solih said the amendments brought to the Decentralisation Act enable more autonomy for local councils and women's development committees (WDC). He said the amendments have strengthened the decentralised system of governance and reinforced the protection of the rights of the people, which has led to peace and stability in society. He noted that many countries have been unable to receive the benefits of democracy due to war, geopolitical conflicts, or discrimination within the country, which results in their citizens being deprived of their basic rights. He said that peace and democracy are two sides of the same coin and that upholding democratic principles is necessary to establish peace.
In conclusion, President Solih said that terrorism and environmental changes affect democracy in the Maldives, as they do in other countries, and that the government needs to work with organisations and individuals to resolve these issues.