Women’s Machinery received funding from the UN agencies to carry out women’s rights
activities, insufficient human resources were observed to be a barrier in carrying out the
activities.
7. It is also significant to note that the constant restructurings had tried to positively
impact the National Women’s Machinery and always saw political manoeuvrings aimed
at doing something different.
8. The information on concluding comments of 2007 were not adequately disseminated to
the general public. Subsequently, HRCM has observed a low level of awareness among
the participants about the definition of discrimination.2
Violence against Women and Children
Concluding Observation: On comprehensive measures to address violence against women
(CO2007/3CO, para. 20)
9. The Domestic Violence Prevention Act (DVP Act) ratified in 2012 is an important legal
instrument which would protect women against the endemic problem of domestic
violence. The main issues faced in protecting victims of domestic violence include
absence of requisite procedures, inconsistencies in institutional applications, lack of
sensitivity among law enforcement, judiciary, health and social service providers
towards DV. It is also important to emphasize the common belief amongst law
enforcement and judiciary that DV cases are family matters, which negatively impact
victims from getting redress.3
10. DVP Act states that regulations have to be formulated within 12 months of ratification, but
most of the regulations, policies and standards under the DVP Act have yet to be
formulated. Specifically, National Guideline on health sector response to Gender Based
Violence (GBV) victims and other procedural regulations and policies of stakeholders are
still conspicuously pending. The police regulation under the DVP Act has been published in
the gazette. Family Protection Authority (FPA) has developed and endorsed the ‘Maldives
National Domestic Violence Prevention Strategy 2014‐2016’ in accordance with clause 53(a)
of the DVP Act. A commentary on the DVP Act has also been developed as a standard guide
for the interpretation of the terms, concepts and clauses of the DVP Act, and has been
printed and distributed to all police stations, magistrate courts and Family Children Service
Centres (FCSC) across the country.
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