The government is working to establish caucus groups comprising lawmakers and women's rights advocates to strengthen women's participation in policymaking, Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali has said.
The minister made the remarks during the general debate of the 9th Session of the Ministerial Conference on the Advancement of Women of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad, Pakistan, where she outlined the Maldives' efforts to promote gender equality and women's empowerment.
Welcoming the conference theme, Empowering Women Socially, Economically, and Politically in OIC Member States: Challenges and the Way Forward, Geela said it closely aligns with the Maldives' Gender Equality Action Plan 2022–2026. She said the action plan serves as the national framework for strengthening women's leadership, promoting economic empowerment, advancing institutional gender equality, eliminating gender-based violence and improving access to justice.
Highlighting progress in leadership and governance, Geela said women currently account for 37 percent of elected local councillors in the Maldives. She reaffirmed the government's commitment to increasing women's representation in decision-making positions through initiatives such as Taking the Lead: Women in Politics and the Practice Parliament for Women programme.
The minister also announced plans to establish a Women's Caucus to strengthen links between island Women's Development Committees (WDCs) and policymaking bodies at the atoll, regional and national levels. She added that the government is continuing efforts to institutionalise gender equality through the Maldivian Gender Equality Model and develop a gender-responsive budgeting framework to guide national planning and resource allocation.
Minister Geela also highlighted government support for women entrepreneurs, including a USD 6.49 million loan scheme operated through SME Digital and a specialised leasing facility for women. She said that, as of April, more than USD 1.15 million had been disbursed to 82 women entrepreneurs. She added that consultation meetings had been held with more than 275 women entrepreneurs across various atolls to assess the economic status of women and identify challenges facing female-led businesses.
Reaffirming the Maldives' commitment to eliminating gender-based and domestic violence, Geela said the government is reforming health sector guidelines, conducting youth awareness programmes under the Eku Ekee (Together as One) initiative, and providing training for judges and caseworkers. She added that media guidelines have also been developed to support responsible reporting on gender-based violence.
The minister acknowledged that challenges remain in terms of resources and institutional capacity, stressing that stronger cooperation among OIC member states is essential to advancing gender equality.