President Mohammed Muizzu has unveiled a significant proposal aimed at bolstering the empowerment and effectiveness of women's development committees (WDCs) across the Maldives.
Speaking on the ninth edition of the "Rayyithunaa Eku" podcast, President Dr Muizzu announced his intention to amend the law, enabling the chairpersons of WDCs to be elected in the same manner as the chairpersons of island councils.
This move follows the President's extensive visits to the islands, during which he directly engaged with WDC members and listened to their concerns, prompting a commitment to finding concrete solutions.
At the heart of the proposed reforms is a fundamental shift in the operational structure and electoral process of WDCs. Currently, WDC chairpersons are elected by a vote among their own members and serve on a part-time basis, receiving an allowance.
President Dr Muizzu's vision, however, as he revealed, is to elevate these positions to full-time roles, directly elected by the public, mirroring the robust democratic process applied to council chairpersons.
This change, he emphasised, is designed to provide WDCs with greater leadership stability and dedicated focus, thus driving more substantial progress in their initiatives.
Beyond the electoral changes, the President outlined a series of financial enhancements crucial for the committees' operational capacity. A key commitment is to double the budget allocated by councils for the development of women in the Atolls, increasing the WDCs' share of the council budget from five percent to a more substantial 10 percent.
Acknowledging past issues such as the non-receipt of Ramadan allowances, President Dr Muizzu confirmed that this problem has been addressed, and future Ramadan allowances will be paid directly from the councils' budgets.
He also pledged improvements to the committees’ overall funding with the next year’s budget and signaled a reform in how the government calculates block grants to island councils, further empowering them financially.
These sweeping changes, according to President Dr Muizzu, are not merely administrative adjustments but a strategic investment in women's leadership and community development.
By making WDC chairpersons full-time, publicly elected officials with strengthened financial backing, the administration aims to inject these committees with greater authority and resources.