Transparency Maldives: Poor relationships with Councils a challenge for WDCs

Transparency Maldives has noted poor working relationships with Island Councils as one of the main challenges faced by Women’s Development Committees (WDCs) across the Maldives.

This came in its publication ‘Assessment of Women’s Development Committees in the Maldives’ launched today, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Transparency Maldives said that WDCs are a traditional women’s institution in the Maldives, and are an important platform for women to enter into politics and participate in the decision making process of island development.

In addition to poor relationships with councils, Transparency Maldives highlighted that WDCs also face challenges such as financial and resource constraints, and negative public perception towards women in public life.

Recommendations mentioned in the publication include Councils consulting WDCs as stipulated in the Decentralisation Act, clarification of the role of regulatory bodies and supporting structures in relation to WDCs, building the capacity of WDCs to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills, development of resource sharing mechanisms by Island Councils to support WDCs, provision of financial support for WDCs and securing additional sources of funding, and allowing men to contest in and vote for WDC elections.