The Minister of Social and Family Development, Dr Aishath Shiham has announced that additional temporary shelters are being established for women experiencing domestic violence. The Minister made the remark during an interview with PSM News regarding the Ministry’s ongoing initiatives.
In the interview, the Minister said three more temporary shelters are currently being prepared under the name ‘Domestic Violence Shelter’. Noting that currently, there is only one shelter in the country dedicated to supporting victims of domestic abuse, the Minister highlighted the increasing demand for such facilities based on the number of reported cases.
"Currently, there is only one women’s shelter in the Maldives. Looking at the number of cases, we notice the society needs more of these places," the Minister said.
According to statistics from April 2025, a total of 44 cases of gender-based violence and domestic violence were reported to authorities. These included 24 cases of physical assault, eight cases of psychological and verbal assault, and five cases of threatening and intimidation. Additionally, 40 incidents of various forms of violence against women were reported.
While the government is providing assistance to women support women facing violence, the government is also working to empower women, including the provision of loans to women to empower economically. A certain percentage of these loans are reserved for women with disabilities.