President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said his administration has made women’s development a central priority, describing it as the government that has worked the hardest to empower women in the Maldives.
He made the remarks while speaking at an event organised by the People’s National Congress (PNC) at Artificial Beach in Malé.
Addressing the gathering, the President said the government has prioritised policies and initiatives aimed at advancing the role of women in society, noting that the results of these efforts are already becoming evident.
President Muizzu highlighted several measures introduced by the administration to strengthen Women’s Development Committees (WDCs), describing them as an important platform for advancing women’s participation in community development.
According to the President, the government has introduced legal changes to improve the functioning of WDCs. These reforms include enabling members of Women’s Development Committees to receive the Ramadan allowance. He also noted that the position of WDC President has been transformed into a full-time executive role, elected by the public, in order to strengthen leadership and accountability within the committees.
“This government increased the budget allocated to these committees from five per cent to ten per cent. In addition, the Ramadan allowance is now paid from the council budget rather than from separate funds, further strengthening the Women’s Development Committees,” President Muizzu said.
The President further stated that the government has introduced various financial support programmes aimed at economically empowering women. These initiatives include loan schemes and other support mechanisms designed to enhance women’s participation in economic activities. He added that additional measures to support women’s empowerment are planned for implementation throughout the year.
President Muizzu emphasised that mainstreaming women’s empowerment remains a key policy priority of the government.