The Maldives’ ratification last year of
a Domestic Violence Act has done little to curb the abuse of women,
minors and other vulnerable people despite provisions to do so, a
leading civil society expert and former gender minister has said.
Aneesa Ahmed, Chairperson for the Hope for Women NGO, told Minivan
News that despite extensive provisions in the act, little progress had
been made by police, the judiciary and wider Maldivian society to
address domestic violence and abuse.
“The problem we are seeing is that measures provided in the act are
not being implemented. There is no mechanisms to do that. Police have
been preparing for the act, but they are handicapped in doing so,”
Aneesa claimed.
“There are no safe houses, no shelters for victims of abuse. The act
doesn’t solve the problem on its own, we need education and a greater
understanding or rights and the need for sensitivity.”
Aneesa’s comments were made after 130 UN member states last Friday (March 15) signed up to a plan to try and prevent violence towards women and girls as part of a wider international strategy.
The declaration calling for an end to gender-based violence was
passed despite opposition from Russia, the Vatican and a number of
unidentified Islamic nations.
“Iran, Libya, Sudan and other Muslim nations ended threats to block
the declaration and agreed to language stating that violence against
women could not be justified by ‘any custom, tradition or religious
consideration,’” reported AFP.
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