The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Gender has decided to submit a case to the Local Government Authority (LGA) in relation to Male’ City Councillor Ibrahim Shujau entering the state care facility “Fiyavathi” without prior permission or notice.
In a meeting held to discuss the multiple issues related to Fiyavathi, members of the parliament committee expressed concern over the way some journalists as well as state officials acted in response to the unrest in Fiyavathi, without any regards to the psychological condition of the children housed in the facility. During the meeting, the committee decided to submit a case against Councillor Ibrahim Shujau for entering the facility. The committee also decided to raise a case at Maldives Media Council (MMC) on how some journalists acted during the incident in Fiyavathi.
During the meeting, the committee discussed the report prepared by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and the Children’s Ombudsperson’s Office on the condition of Fiyavathi. Chair of the committee Jeehan Mahmood said the report highlighted several systemic failures in the operations of the facility, including the lack of staff to look after the large number of children housed in the facility.
Reports have come out in the past few days on violence breaking out at Fiyavathi. Vice President Faisal Naseem visited the facility on September 18, to meet the staff and children at the facility and to discuss their concerns.