President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that civil society organisations should focus on addressing social issues and protecting the environment as their core objectives. He made these remarks in his address at the function to present the first Civil Society Awards. First Lady Fazna Ahmed and Vice President Faisal Naseem also attended the function at the Maldives Centre for Social Education (MCSE).
Speaking at the function, President Solih stressed that the people could fully realise the administration's development and progress in various sectors once the underlying social problems were addressed. He further emphasised the need to address the diverse social issues across different islands and regions of the country through a decentralised approach. He also highlighted the significant role civil society can play in this effort.
Additionally, President Solih noted that civil society could contribute to mitigating climate change, environmental conservation and protection, and addressing social issues. He also said that civil society organisations should focus on addressing social issues and protecting the environment as their core objectives and highlighted the need for the entire society to participate in the administration's efforts to eliminate single-use plastics.
At the function, President Solih also presented awards to the recipients, while Vice President Naseem launched the Mees Portal and First Lady Fazna presented award letters to the recipients of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) grants.
Introducing the Civil Society Awards is a significant milestone for the Maldives. The awards aim to foster social empowerment, encourage proactive engagement by civil society, raise awareness about pressing social issues, and recognise and acknowledge the invaluable contributions of civil society.