Gender equality
The Maldives is committed to gender equality as a cross-cutting imperative across all three pillars of social development. Thirty years on from the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action – the landmark global framework for the advancement of women's rights and gender equality – we reaffirm its enduring relevance and call for its full and accelerated implementation. The transformative goals enshrined in Beijing, including equal access to education, healthcare, economic participation, and freedom from violence, remain unfinished business, and must be central to our collective pursuit of poverty eradication, full and productive employment, and social integration.
At the national level, the Maldives has undertaken sustained and deliberate action to advance women's rights and participation. The Maldives has strengthened legal protections under the Gender Equality Act and has significantly expanded women's participation in local governance.
In April 2025, the Maldives was elected to the UN Commission on the Status of Women for the 2026–2030 term – the first time the Maldives will serve on the Commission – signalling a new chapter in the country's engagement on gender equality at the multilateral level.
The Maldives has co-sponsored several joint statements and resolutions on violence against women and girls and discrimination against women and girls at the Human Rights Council and at General Assembly.
Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), established on 21 June 1946 by United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolution 11(II), is the principal body dedicated to promoting gender equality, the rights and empowerment of women.
As a functional commission of ECOSOC, it convenes annually in New York in March to set global standards, assess progress, and agree on actions to improve women's lives.
The Maldives was elected as a member of the commission during an election held on 4 April 2025 at ECOSOC. This marks the first international election the Maldives has contested and won under President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s leadership.
The Maldives assumed its seat on the CSW for the term 2026 to 2030 at the opening of the seventy-first session on the CSW on 19 March 2026. This is the first time the Maldives is serving as a member of this Commission.
During its tenure, the Maldives will contribute to shaping the Commission’s agenda by sharing its national perspectives, experiences, and priorities, including those of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Commission’s work programme will address the transformation of care systems in 2026, review progress on Sustainable Development Goal 5 and gender mainstreaming in 2027, focus on gender in humanitarian crises in 2028, and advance access to justice and the elimination of discriminatory laws in 2029.
In this context, the Maldives will advance practical, context-driven solutions, including investment in care infrastructure, legal and policy reform, stronger integration of gender considerations into climate policy, and the use of digital tools to expand opportunities.