13 October 2016, New York; At the United Nations General Assembly debate on Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Children, the Maldives highlighted on the ongoing work to strengthen the legal framework on the protection of children. Delivering the statement at the Third Committee on behalf of the Maldives delegation, Ms. Moomina Ibrahim, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted the extensive reforms that are in place in the new Child Rights bill and Juvenile Justice bill that will give effect to the United Nations standards and norms.
In its statement, the Maldives further highlighted the strong protection accorded to children in its Constitution and the priority given by the Government to provide a safe environment for children, free of violence. The Child Sexual Offences Act, the Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act and Domestic Violence Act are some of the key legislative measures taken for the protection of children and safeguard their rights. The statement further noted more recent initiatives such as the implementation of a child protection policy for children that addresses bullying and violence in schools.
The Maldives statement further gave information about the campaign launched by the Government in 2015 known as 'Ahan' or 'Listen' that is aimed at changing attitudes, perceptions and behavior within the community towards violence against children. The Committee was told that since the launch of the programme, it has created greater awareness resulting in more cases of abuse being reported.
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