the staff as a part of family friendly human resource policies in order to support working
women is also a positive development worth mentioning.52
56. An alarming rise in unemployment was observed in recent times.53 Evidently the
proportion of unemployed and discouraged women is higher than men.54
Unemployment levels among women are at least a third higher than men and this
difference persisted since 2006.55Discouragement appears widespread among women
and youth.56 The country has been unable to create jobs to accommodate new job
seekers especially for young new entrants and females’ struggle to find a job.57
Figure 11: Unemployment Rate
Unemployment rate
ILO definition‐person 15 years and over, and seeking and
available for work
Broad definition‐those not looking for work for reasons “unable
to find suitable employment” and “lack of employment
opportunities”
2006
2010
5
12
16
28
Source: Department of National Planning, Statistics Division (2009‐2010) .Household Income and Expenditure Survey . Retrieved
December 11, 2014, from http://planning.gov.mv/hies/HIES2012/FINAL%20HIES%20report%20for%20website.pdf
Figure 12: Unemployment Rate of men and women
2006/
2010/
2006/
Unemployment rate
Females
Females
Males
ILO definition–person 15 years and over, and
6
14
4
seeking and available for work
Broad definition‐those not looking for work
for reasons “unable to find suitable
24
30
24
employment” and “lack of employment
opportunities”
2010/
Males
10
30
Source: Department of National Planning, Statistics Division (2009‐2010) .Household Income and Expenditure Survey. Retrieved
December 11,2014, from http://planning.gov.mv/hies/HIES2012/FINAL%20HIES%20report%20for%20website.pdf
57. Almost half of the females in the working population were recorded as not economically
active (45 percent) when only a fourth of the male working age population fell into this
category (24 percent). Moreover, out of the economically inactive population, females
accounted for 68 percent.58
58. In a general basis the predominant reasons for being unemployed include inability to
find a suitable employment and lack of employment opportunities. Nonetheless, being
preoccupied by household chores appears to be one of the predominant and distinctive
reasons for females to be unemployed.59 Many female employees are forced to quit
jobs following child birth.60The reasons stated by females for not being economically
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