Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Praise Maldives’ Child Protection Laws, Ask About Plans to Reduce the Age of Criminal Responsibility and Barriers to Citizenship

The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its consideration of the sixth and seventh combined periodic report of Maldives under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with Committee Experts praising the State's recently adopted child protection and juvenile justice laws, and raising concerns regarding plans to reduce the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 and barriers to accessing citizenship for non-Muslim children and children born out of wedlock.

Hynd Ayoubi Idrissi, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator for Maldives, welcomed the laws on the protection of children and the law on juvenile justice implemented by the State, and congratulated it on the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on a communications procedure.

Mary Beloff, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said that there was currently an initiative in Maldives to reduce the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years. She asked whether this initiative, which she said would make the justice system more punitive, had garnered support.

Ms. Beloff also raised concerns that citizenship was only provided to persons who practiced the Muslim faith, which she said led to issues with statelessness and reduced access to services. Other Committee Experts also asked how the State party was removing barriers preventing children born out of wedlock or in child marriages from applying for citizenship.

Introducing the report, Ahmed Usham, Attorney General of Maldives and head of the delegation, said the enactment of the new Child Rights Protection Act and the Juvenile Justice Act in 2019 was the most far-reaching transformative action in the history of child rights protection in Maldives. The Child Rights Protection Act guaranteed children's rights to education, adequate healthcare and protection from all forms of discrimination, prohibited child marriage, set the age of criminal responsibility at 15, provided safeguards against corporal punishment and banned the death penalty for children.

However, the delegation said the State was limited by the minimum age of criminal responsibility in its ability to attend to children between the ages of 12 to 15 who were engaged in crimes. There were already 150 such children. This was why it had decided to bring the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12, with strict restrictions preventing punitive measures against children in this age group.

Regarding barriers to accessing citizenship, the delegation said the Family Act detailed the rules for establishing lineage and attribution of paternity, which were Sharia rules that there were no plans to amend or appeal. However, all relevant State institutions worked together to ensure that children were not rendered stateless due to these rules. In complex cases, temporary registration documents were issued to newborns to ensure that they could obtain essential services.

In closing remarks, Ms. Idrissi congratulated the country on the progress it had made and expressed hope that Maldives would continue to make progress in implementing the Convention. The State party needed to pay attention to the concerns raised in the dialogue and continue its efforts, with a focus on prevention.

Mr. Usham, in closing remarks, said he hoped that Maldives' determination to strengthen promotion of children's rights had been evident throughout the dialogue. The State would carefully consider the Committee's recommendations and integrate them into ongoing and future policy and legislative processes.

Sophie Kiladze, Committee Chair, in her concluding remarks, said the Committee would do its best to develop recommendations based on the dialogue that would ensure the best for the children of Maldives. She expressed hope that the State party would maintain its commitment to promoting children's rights.

The delegation of Maldives consisted of the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Education; Attorney General's Office; Ministry of Social and Family Development; and the Permanent Mission of Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Maldives at the end of its one hundredth session on 30 January. Those, and other documents relating to the Committee's work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session's webpage. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.

The Committee will next meet in public this afternoon at 3 p.m. to consider the combined sixth and seventh periodic report of Ghana (CRC/C/GHA/6-7).

Report

The Committee has before it the sixth and seventh combined periodic report of Maldives (CRC/C/MDV/6-7).

Presentation of Report

AHMED USHAM, Attorney General and head of the delegation, said the State's report presented the progress achieved in implementing obligations under the Convention from 2016 to 2021. Maldives was proud of the meaningful progress it had achieved in protecting child rights over the past decade and was conscious of the work that remained. Obligations under the Convention took centre stage in Maldivian policies, legislation, and national development priorities, guiding sustained action across all sectors of Government. As a small island nation with unique geographic and resource realities, certain limitations shaped the pace of reform, but the State's commitment would not waiver.

The enactment of the new Child Rights Protection Act and the Juvenile Justice Act in 2019 was the most far-reaching transformative action in the history of child rights protection in Maldives. Together, the laws established dedicated mechanisms, institutions and procedures that embedded the best interests of the child.

The Child Rights Protection Act guaranteed children's rights to education, adequate healthcare and protection from all forms of discrimination, harm, abuse and exploitation, among a host of other rights. It prohibited child marriage, set the age of criminal responsibility at 15, provided safeguards against corporal punishment and banned the death penalty for children. Two major national-level programmes had boosted operationalisation of the Act.

The Juvenile Justice Act had shifted the Maldivian justice system toward a rights-based approach for children, prioritising diversion, rehabilitation, and reintegration through a separate juvenile justice track. The Department of Juvenile Justice had developed and endorsed a dedicated Juvenile Justice Act Implementation Roadmap to guide implementation until 2027 and six targeted rehabilitation modules had been developed to address the most prevalent juvenile offences. Work was also underway to conduct a comprehensive review of both this Act and the Child Rights Protection Act to address implementation gaps.

This year, Maldives was developing a comprehensive and overarching child rights policy and was also finalising a 20-year National Development Plan, under which key child protection priorities were being addressed. A dedicated National Action Plan on Violence Against Children had been launched in September 2024 to strengthen the child protection system and create safer homes, schools, communities and online spaces. Implementation was overseen by a multi-sectoral Steering Committee established in 2025.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development had over the past eight months managed all cases involving adults and children through the centralised IthaaPortal, which was being expanded to strengthen coordinated action, streamline referrals, and support informed decision-making. Significant investment had been made in building awareness and capacity among all actors within the child protection system.

Maldives remained firmly committed to the international human rights system, having acceded to eight of the nine core human rights treaties and seven optional protocols. During the reporting period, the Maldives had ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on a communications procedure, making the State party to all three optional protocols under the Convention. The establishment of the National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up in 2020 had significantly strengthened engagement with treaty bodies by coordinating reporting processes and implementation of recommendations.

The current administration had pledged to ensure that the annual budget for the social sector was tripled by end of the term. Several key laws had also been enacted that directly advanced the rights of the child and strengthened protection frameworks. A new Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act was enacted last year, with a focus on protecting children and youth from environments where such crimes occurred. The State had amended the Tobacco Control Act to ban e-cigarettes, vaping devices, and related products, and introduced a landmark generational ban on tobacco and its products for those born on or after 1 January 2007. This would ensure greater protection of children's health by preventing exposure to addiction and avoidable disease.

The current administration had also taken decisive policy measures to strengthen the protection, wellbeing and rights of children across Maldives. These included the "A Family for Every Child" programme and a special programme to provide life skills and vocational training to children under State care. The State party had also tripled the single-parent allowance to strengthen stability and support for children.

The Government's approach to juvenile justice and youth policy was guided by a clear objective to prevent the exploitation of children by criminal elements and to ensure that vulnerable children were supported, rehabilitated and reintegrated into society. A Juvenile Halfway House and a temporary Juvenile Residential Treatment Centre was established last year, equipped with child-friendly facilities. Hope Island was being conceptualised as a safe and structured environment for vulnerable children, while preserving their family and social connections.

Islam had been central to Maldivian identity for centuries, and this was reflected in the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives, which anchored the legal framework in Islamic principles. Accordingly, the legal system was structured within this religious and cultural context, and freedom of religion beyond Islam was not provided for under Maldivian law. Therefore, Maldives was unable to lift the reservations placed on Articles 14(a) and 21 of the Convention.

Questions by Committee Experts

HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator for Maldives, welcomed the laws on the protection of children and the law on juvenile justice implemented by the State, and congratulated it on the adoption of the Optional Protocol on a communications procedure. Maldives had prohibited corporal punishment and treated reporting of abuse of children as an obligation. Were parents and others held criminally responsible if they did not report abuse? Had this measure led to increased reporting? What was the impact of the online protection policy and were there monitoring measures in place? How did the State party ensure that the prohibition of the torture and ill-treatment of children was effective? Ms. Idrissi congratulated the State party on prohibiting child marriage and setting a higher age of marriage. How did the State party ensure that these measures were effective?

Had there been an evaluation of the first national action plan on combatting violence against children? What was the content of the second plan adopted in 2024? There had been very few cases of violence against children reported to the Department of Social Welfare. Why was this? What was being done to provide care to victims of violence? What prevented the State party from defining sexual violence in its legislation? Some sexual crimes were not covered by the State's legislation due to this lack of a definition. Victims, including child victims, of sexual violence could be prosecuted under State legislation for "promiscuity" and risked lashings. What was done to avoid this situation? What measures were in place to ensure that child victims of trafficking had access to justice? How many sentences had been handed down on child trafficking charges?

MARY BELOFF, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, welcomed recent legislative advances made by the State party. The Law on Juvenile Justice and the Child Protection Act had implemented several measures to bring State legislation in line with the Convention, including raising the age of criminal responsibility to 15 years and prohibiting child marriage. This was a significant change for the country. How was this legislation being implemented and how was implementation assessed? Had the State party encountered difficulties regarding treatment of juvenile offenders who were also considered to be vulnerable under current legislation? There was currently an initiative in Maldives to reduce the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years; had this initiative, which would make the justice system more punitive, garnered support?

How did the State party promote cooperation between the Children's Ombudsperson and the Human Rights Office and prevent overlaps between these institutions' mandates? Was data on children being consistently collected across the country? How was the State party overcoming challenges in data collection? The Children's Ombudsperson had received only 28 complaints according to the State party's report. Why was this complaints system being underused?

What legislative efforts had been made to revise interpretation of jurisprudence related to restrictions on freedom of religion? Citizenship was only provided to persons who practiced the Muslim faith; this led to issues with statelessness and reduced access to services.

JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked about steps taken to eliminate gender discrimination in national laws. Were there plans to remove the requirement of marriage to attribute legitimacy to children? Would legislation be amended to eliminate gender-based differences in paternity testing and allow women to apply to courts for paternity confirmation? Would the State party remove time barriers to paternity attribution? How was it preventing stigmatisation of children born out of wedlock and removing barriers preventing such children from applying for citizenship? Were there plans to introduce a digital birth registration system, and to use DNA testing to establish paternity? What support existed for families struggling with obtaining marriage certificates and registering births overseas?

How was the State party addressing gaps in access to educational materials for children in island communities? What was the content of the national action plan on the prevention of violence against children and how was the capacity of stakeholders to implement this plan being strengthened? What support was provided to vulnerable families unable to afford daycare facilities? How did the State party combat stigma against children in State care? How were long-term fostering plans for children guaranteed? What rights were given to children of incarcerated parents? What steps had been taken to address gaps in support for children with non-physical disabilities? How was the State party promoting access to therapy and medical assistance for children with disabilities on outer islands?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the term "children at risk" within legislation referred to children under the age of 18, who were considered likely to engage in criminal activities or become victims of exploitation. The State party intended to clearly define this term in the next amendment to the Juvenile Justice Act. Alternatives to incarceration for children were prioritised by the State. However, the State was limited by the minimum age of criminal responsibility in its ability to attend to children between the ages of 12 to 15 who were at risk of being engaged in crimes or who were already engaged. This was why it had decided to bring the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12, with strict restrictions stating that punitive measures could not be taken against children between the ages of 12 to 15.

The Children's Ombudsperson dealt with issues specific to children, while the Human rights Office was an independent oversight body for all rights in Maldives. The Children's Ombudsperson had played a pivotal role in advancing child protection efforts. The State party would address potential overlaps in the mandates of these institutions in its review of the Child Protection Act. There were multiple bodies that received complaints from citizens and the Children's Ombudsperson was primarily a monitoring body, which was why it had received few complaints.

The Associations Act had been in place in Maldives since 2003, and it was revised in 2022. This act did not prevent children from becoming members of associations but only set an age limit for executive committee members. Every citizen, including children, had the right to participate in peaceful assemblies.

The review of the Child Rights Protection Act commenced last month and was in early stages. Not reporting violence against children was treated as an offence under the Act. Maldives had prohibited child marriage and there had been five reports for child marriages since 2019; three cases had been prosecuted and there had been convictions in two.

Birth registration was a legal requirement in Maldives and there was a fine for failure to register a birth. All registered children had access to education and healthcare. Children born to foreign parents and undocumented migrant workers were issued a special visa to ensure they could legally remain in the country while their documentation was processed. Stakeholders collaborated to address cases individually. Children who had at least one parent with Maldivian citizenship could access citizenship. The State party had been using a digital portal since July 2020 to register births, issue birth certificates and process identity cards.

Maldives was not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its related protocol, as the State party did not have the capacity to recognise refugee status or grant asylum. It was cooperating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other institutions in this regard.

The Juvenile Justice Act introduced a transformative change to juvenile justice in Maldives. It had been facing challenges in terms of resource allocation and defining institutional roles. However, the State party had devised an implementation roadmap for 2024 to 2027, which was guiding implementation of the Act and identifying gaps in the legal framework that needed to be addressed. The State party was undertaking a review of implementation of the Act, and identifying how to best allocate resources to ensure implementation.

The State party had recently aligned its anti-trafficking in persons act with the relevant United Nations protocol. It had also launched the 2025 national action plan on trafficking in persons, which mapped State institutions' responsibilities in terms of prevention, protection and support for victims, persecution of prosecutors, deterrence, and public awareness related to trafficking. The Government was refining victim identification guidelines. It had set up a temporary shelter that could lodge victims and had also introduced a reporting hotline and a Migrant Workers Resource Centre. Between 2020 and 2025, 14 trafficking cases were being investigated by the police service, and four had reached the prosecution stage.

The Child Rights Protection Act framework had been strengthened by regulations and operational instruments related to child rights, case management and reunification of children under State care. The State party had also launched a programme that supported services for addressing child rights violations, and a programme that focused on strengthening engagement between Government institutions and communities related to protecting vulnerable groups.

Under the Social Protection Act, the Government had established a range of programmes for single parents, foster parents and food allowances. The Government was also providing social safety nets, the national social health insurance scheme, and a disability allowance, as well as revising regulations on daycare to strengthen the childcare system and support working parents by making the system more affordable.

The Child and Family Protection Service was legally required to provide protection for the children of incarcerated parents for the duration of the incarceration. It sought family members to provide care when both parents were incarcerated, and used State care only as a last resort.

Maldives was developing an online portal for social welfare services that mapped home visits and vulnerability. There were resource limitations in data collection, particularly in outer islands, but ongoing targeted programmes were helping to overcome these constraints.

The State party was updating its national action plan on the prevention of violence against children, which addressed multi-sectoral action in this regard. The State party had held workshops to identify gaps in implementation of the plan, and developed a work plan to ensure its successful implementation. Training programmes had been developed to strengthen children's online skills and promote safe behaviour in online environments. The State party planned to expand child abuse prevention and awareness sessions for parents and caregivers in 2026.

The State party was increasing public awareness around foster care, including through the dissemination of a movie that amplified the voices of children in State care and foster parents, which had encouraged an increase in foster applications. Awareness raising sessions on foster care had been conducted across the State over the reporting period, and other dissemination materials had been produced. There were comprehensive monitoring mechanisms in place for foster care, and the State guided families through the transition into foster care. Care plans were formulated for each child in residential care facilities. External compliance officers monitored these facilities, ensuring implementation of the recommendations of the Children's Ombudsperson. There were mechanisms in place to provide specialised care for children with disabilities.

From the moment a case of violence against a child was reported, assessments were conducted to assess the immediate needs of the child. If needed, psychological care and alternative arrangements for schooling were provided for affected children.

Growth monitoring and promotion services had been institutionalised in all public healthcare facilities to ensure timely intervention and encourage improvements in the overall health of children. Training on these services was provided to health workers. An online system had been launched to track the development of children. Growth monitoring visits in the first five years of life had been mandated, and immunisation records had been digitised since 2022. The State party had introduced services for psychiatry and various therapies in national and regional hospitals. There were plans to optimise and upgrade regional hospitals to improve access in remote areas. From this year, the national health insurance scheme was providing 100 per cent coverage for all mental health services and certain therapeutic services, including those provided by the private sector.

Questions by Committee Experts

BENYAM DAWIT MEZMUR, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, welcomed the high-level delegation of Maldives. Malnutrition remained a concern in the State party. What progress had been made in addressing malnutrition outside of the capital, Malé? The State party paid close attention to non-communicable diseases and aimed to reduce these by 25 per cent by 2030. What progress had been made in this regard? How was the State party working to prevent premature births? Maldives had a very low HIV prevalence rate of around 0.1 per cent. How would it maintain this rate? What HIV-related information was provided to children and adolescents? Was it true that no child had been born with HIV since 2023? What would the Mental Health Bill, which was being developed, aim to achieve and when would it be adopted? Did the Drugs Act focus on prevention and rehabilitation of drug users? What happened to children who were caught smoking, considering the generational ban?

In 2017, Maldives decided to move from a net-zero economy to a low carbon economy because of "development needs". How did it ensure that the impact of environmental degradation and climate change on children was minimised? How did the consultation process on measures related to climate change include children? How did the education system empower children to address challenges posed by climate change?

How was the State party helping children who missed out on education during the COVID-19 pandemic to catch up? How was the State party addressing shortages in qualified, local teachers? How was the transition to English language instruction managed in the early learning phase? How was the State party ensuring that access to compulsory education was universal? There were gender disparities in school enrolment; how were these being addressed? How was the State party providing equal opportunities to girls and children with disabilities to participate in leisure activities?

MARY BELOFF, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked about mechanisms and resources provided by the State for children in extreme poverty. How did it ensure that available resources reached the most remote corners of the State?

The State party had criminalised failure to report sexual abuse crimes against children. A solely criminal response to this issue might be insufficient. Was the State party raising awareness about this measure? How was the State party addressing cultural practices that ran counter to the best interests of the child? What mechanisms were in place to establish the best interests of the child in legal and administrative matters? How did the State party promote the right of children to be heard in various contexts?

HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, asked if the State party had adopted a list of dangerous jobs. What training was provided to labour inspectors? Were punishments issued to employers of children below the legal working age?

How did the State party assess asylum claims? Was tackling irregular migration a priority for the current Government? What steps had been taken to protect the rights of child migrants and identify those children in need of international protection?

The Expert expressed hope that the State party would maintain 15 as the minimum age of criminal responsibility. What goals had been set in the 2024 to 2027 national action plan on juvenile justice? Had there been a mid-term assessment of the plan? What steps had been taken to ensure the rights of children in conflict with the law, including the right to legal representation and the right to appeal? What special measures were in place related to the protection of children's rights in courts? Did current legislation allow for the whipping of children?

In 2016, the Committee had called on the State party to criminalise violations under the Optional Protocol on the use of children in armed conflict. Had this been done? Had assessments been carried out on implementation of the national action plan on combating armed conflict and terrorism?

Had the State party widely disseminated the third Optional Protocol to the Convention? What had become of child marriages that had been prosecuted? If there had been births, what became of the children? Were there confidential services that allowed children to report violence and receive guidance?

JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said that Maldives' Disability Act covered physical and intellectual disabilities. Did it address sensory disabilities? Did incarcerated children have the right to see their families? Was there data on denials of citizenship over the reporting period?

Other Committee Experts asked about strategies to register 100 per cent of births; the timeframe for registering a birth; what the State did when people failed to collect birth certificates; how the State was ensuring that all people were provided with physical birth certificates; how the State party addressed the prevalence of child tuberculosis and respiratory diseases; the number of social workers in Maldives; whether women could legally take birth control pills and whether there was a service for reporting sexual violence; mechanisms for preventing female genital mutilation; whether children were held in detention with adults; whether there was a clear ban on corporal punishment in all settings; who intervened in cases of corporal punishment; whether there were educational programmes for parents that discouraged corporal punishment; how State agencies cooperated on issues relating to children; how the State party protected children from harmful influences on social media and addressed threats posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence; and how the State party promoted digital literacy in schools.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Family Act detailed the rules for establishing lineage and attribution of paternity, which were Sharia rules that there were no plans to amend or appeal. However, in practice, all relevant State institutions worked together to ensure that children were not rendered stateless due to these rules, for example through DNA testing to confirm the biological father.

The term "sexual abuse" was not defined in legislation on child sex offenders; however, a sexual offences act was enacted in 2014, which contained definitions of rape, sexual violence or assault, sexual abuse and sexual acts. This law also prohibited marital rape. Children who were victims of violence would not be prosecuted for promiscuity. The law recognised that children under the age of 13 were unable to give consent for any sexual act, and an assessment was carried out to determine whether consent given by children aged 13 to 16 was real consent or whether the minor was a victim of grooming.

Freedom from torture was an absolute right and torture was prohibited in private settings, including family homes. Any complaints of torture could be sent to the Human Rights Commission, which would investigate cases and pass them on the Prosecutor General's Office for criminal investigation as required. The State party also conducted awareness raising campaigns on the prohibition of torture of children.

There was a lack of dedicated initiatives to widely disseminate international protocols that Maldives was party to. However, the State party planned to implement awareness raising campaigns on those protocols, and the national mechanism on reporting, implementation and follow-up had significantly increased the State's engagement with international protocols.

The Juvenile Justice Act guaranteed a child's right to be heard at all stages of proceedings. Children were informed about the facts of the case in a child-friendly manner, and prosecutors were required to consider children's views, and needed to provide reasons when they pursued charges against children, rather than using diversion programmes.

The State did not recognise child marriages, hence there was no need for the cancellation of such marriages. If sexual violence or abuse occurred in these relationships, the offender could be charged under the Child Rights Protection Act. Children born in such marriages were recognised as children born out of wedlock, but these children were provided with access to all services, including health and education services.

In circumstances where medical doctors observed that victims of sexual crime had become pregnant, healthcare facilities were required to provide the victim with necessary treatment to prevent or manage the pregnancy, subject to the victim's consent.

The Child Protection Act stated that no child was to be punished at home in a ruthless, inhumane or degrading manner. Corporal punishment in penal institutions was also prohibited.

In 2024, the State party amended the Penal Code to introduce cyber-criminal offences, a key step towards strengthening children's cyber security. There were also legal protections that protected children's privacy online, forbidding the media from publishing identifiers of names, addresses and photographs of children who were victims or had been accused of crimes, and from spreading information that harmed children's rights. The media regulatory commission was mandated to prohibit publication of child pornography and morally degrading content. Work was underway to enact a cyber security and personal data protection bill.

The State was working to reduce demand for and supply of drugs and had implemented severe penalties for supplying children with drugs. Rehabilitation programmes were also in place for drug users.

The establishment of a minimum criminal age aimed to ensure that punishment was avoided as a means of justice. There were 150 children involved in crime between the ages of 12 and 15. The Government was intervening to address the root causes of offending for children. It would reduce the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years, to enable for rehabilitation measures to be applied for such children. The law would ensure that no punitive measures could be taken against a child between the age of 12 to 15.

Last year, the State had developed child-friendly areas in prisons where children could visit their incarcerated parents. Maldives had a dedicated children's detention facility, which did not detain adults. Currently, there were no children in the prison system and only five adults who had committed serious crimes such as murder as children, who were still detained.

Maldives had several measures in place to improve children's digital literacy and their knowledge of artificial intelligence.

The State party had awareness raising campaigns and training programmes in place on all islands, to actively promote breastfeeding for infants and good nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life. Support visits were carried out on outer islands to monitor nutrition-related activities and online training sessions on nutrition were issued for healthcare providers. A healthy recipe book had been developed for young children and the school food guide encouraged healthier food choices among students. Guidelines on physical activity for children and adults' health had also been endorsed by the State.

The State party assessed the size of the child population in the region and equipped and staffed health care facilities in accordance with need. Facilities in areas with a high level of need operated 24/7 and were assigned paediatricians based on regional need.

The State party was working to increase the accessibility of primary health care, mammogram and HPV screening, and school health screening. As part of the national action plan for improving health services, there were strong tobacco control measures being introduced and plans to introduce more robust national clinical care guidelines. The national action plan sought to promote healthy lifestyles and environments and reduce risk factors, and improve the quality and affordability of health care, particularly in outer islands. A national health surveillance unit had been set up to monitor implementation of the plan.

Mental health support was provided for children and adolescents in-person and online. There was a free nation-wide mental health helpline that children and adults could use to access immediate, confidential support from trained mental health professionals, who referred callers to necessary services. The national mental health strategy and action plan prioritised the mental health needs of children and adolescents. The central and regional mental health services development plan was currently under review; it would span from 2026 to 2030. There were national culturally relevant awareness raising campaigns in place that aimed to improve public knowledge on mental health, which included safe counselling spaces in universities, radio programmes and engagement with social media influencers on mental health. A mental health information system had been developed to improve management of mental health care. A mental health bill was also being developed, which would provide a legal foundation for a rights-based approach to mental healthcare and guide de-escalation, hospitalisation and institutionalisation of mental health patients, significantly reducing misuse and protecting service users.

Zero cases of mother-to-child transmission of HIV had been recorded from 2023 to the present, and no child had been born with HIV during this period. The State party had implemented focused preventative activities, targeted outreach and free and confidential HIV testing. In 2025, Maldives became the first country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of syphilis, hepatitis B and HIV. HIV-related content was disseminated in the national curriculum.

The Government had successfully facilitated several third-country resettlement processes of asylum seekers in coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The State party had limited resources that constrained its ability to fulfil long-term obligations to refugees and asylum seekers. Maldives fully respected the principle of non-refoulement in practice and the Anti-Torture Act prohibited deporting persons to a country where they were at risk of torture.

Some 30 years ago, the literacy rate for girls in Maldives was 16 per cent, as opposed to 40 per cent for boys. However, today, girls were outperforming boys in this regard. The State party had implemented satellite schools to meet education needs in outer islands. Pre-primary education was compulsory and free. The State had well-constructed schools with internet connection and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. Children were involved in consultations related to the Education Act, ratified in 2020. Environmental initiatives had been implemented in schools since 2023, including the "cool school project" which aimed to introduce air conditioning in all classrooms by March 2026. The State party was also introducing minimum infrastructure standards that would help to make schools more accessible for children with disabilities. Solar panels were also being installed in schools. During the COVID-19 pandemic, learning continued through online platforms or in physical classrooms on the outer islands. Nearly 60 per cent of teachers were certified to provide online classes.

Maldives had a shortage of teachers. In 2015, a national teacher training programme was introduced and teacher renumeration was increased in 2015, 2022 and 2024. The State party planned to hire 150 new teachers each year.

The transition from local languages to English in schools was not a challenge, as most children were familiar with spoken English and English text resources were widely available. The issue was ensuring that local language knowledge was maintained.

The State party was implementing multiple learning pathways from 2026 onwards. The State's first vocational high school was opened in 2025.

Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, welcomed that Maldives had prohibited early marriage without exception. However, there were non-registered marriages in far-flung islands. How did the State party protect the rights of children in such marriages? If family ties were not acknowledged, the risk of statelessness increased for children born in these types of unions. How would the State establish kinship in such cases? Was female genital mutilation explicitly prohibited by law? Was there education and awareness raising on reproductive health at schools? What steps had been taken to combat gang violence and the use of children by gangs?

BENYAM DAWIT MEZMUR, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked how the State party prevented boys from falling through the cracks in the education system. Was vocational education keeping pace with the demands of the labour market?

MARY BELOFF, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said that there appeared to have been a massive effort to transform juvenile justice to address delinquency, which would undermine the gains made through positive measures in the Juvenile Justice Act.

One Committee Expert said the minimum age of criminal responsibility should not apply to children who were at risk of coming into conflict with the law. Was this the case?

Other Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on the extent to which the State monitored implementation of disability legislation; the extent of institutionalisation in the State and support provided to families with children with disabilities; the possibility under State law of housing children with adults in detention centres; whether the national preventive mechanism monitored detention of children; whether there was a study on the percentage of children with disabilities and measures for early detection of children with disabilities; if flogging had been totally forbidden in all State institutions; whether girls could access safe abortions when they were victims of rape; if there were plans to roll out the national protection system to all atolls of the State; and the number of children with disabilities handled by the system.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said a 24-hour helpline was in place to confidentially report cases of violence against children. The privacy and confidentiality of the child was assured throughout the investigation process.

In 2023, a significant reform was made to the disability allowance framework to provide comprehensive assistance to persons with disabilities, in accordance with their needs. Disability allowances were provided without differentiation between disability types. Monthly disability allowances were increased, a care allowance was introduced for persons with disabilities who were unable to live independently, and a household allowance was introduced for households with more than three people with disabilities.

Work was underway to develop a national standard on child participation to provide clear, practical guidance on seeking children's views in legal and administrative procedures. This standard would promote ethical and child-sensitive engagement across all sectors and was grounded in the best interests of the child.

The State was obligated to ensure that children were protected from all forms of economic exploitation. Children under the age of 16 were prohibited from engaging in any form of work that was not supervised training directly linked to the child's education. The standard also restricted the type of work that children between ages 16 to 18 could undertake and set strict rules regarding supervision and parental consent. The Labour Regulation Authority monitored such employment.

There were 178 social workers employed in Maldives. Social workers received specialised training in line with their areas of practice. The child and family protection service had set up a national child protection mechanism, which included clear inter-agency collaboration guidelines. The service closely collaborated with the police service in managing cases of violence against children. When necessary, social workers engaged with children prior to police investigations. There were plans to expand the child protection system, including by establishing a multi-disciplinary centre for supporting child victims of violence. There were several targeted programmes within the education system that supported children in vulnerable situations. The social security programme had been rolled out nationwide.

The Government was working to strengthen advocacy related to preventing and reporting sexual violence and other forms of abuse. As part of these efforts, it had launched community awareness sessions, social media campaigns and television and radio programmes. Structured training programmes were implemented in homes, schools, communities and online spaces that addressed early identification of violence and trauma-informed and gender-sensitive responses.

The national action plan on the prevention of violence against children included strategies for addressing online violence against children. Robust legal frameworks had also been developed to prevent violence against children with disabilities. A national development milestone tracking system had been introduced that allowed for provision of health services in outer islands. Community-based rehabilitation programmes were also implemented to support children with disabilities.

There was a need to focus on children aged 12 to 15 who were already engaged in violent crimes, of which there were already 150. The current law limited rehabilitation that could address their behaviour. The State continued to address the underlying issues related to this phenomenon but needed a legal measure to facilitate their rehabilitation. It would ensure that no punitive actions would be taken against these children.

The prison for children ensured limited interaction with adults in the adjacent prison. There were currently no children in prison, a testament to the State's dedication to implementing alternatives to detention.

The police service had a gang prevention unit that was working constantly to intervene in gang activities. Protection of children from gangs and exploitation remained a key priority for the State's police service.

Some boys wanted to start to work in their communities rather than pursuing secondary education. The State party was working to strengthen vocational training and increase pathways and progression opportunities for students, to reduce school dropouts.

Maldives' current climate action plan was highly ambitious. Adaption was at the core of the climate agenda and climate policies and strategies were developed through engagement with children and youth. Young people were engaged in climate change education and capacity building. Children's rights were incorporated into national climate and disaster risk reduction strategies, which recognised children's vulnerability to climate risks. Child-focused risk awareness would be integrated into the school curriculum.

Maldives had a very low extreme poverty rate, though a percentage of the population experienced multi-dimensional poverty. The State party provided primary and secondary education free of charge, and single parent allowances and foster parent allowances supported such households. Cash transfers were also provided to vulnerable households through the food assistance programme. Housing assistance was increased for vulnerable households, including single-parent households and families with children with disabilities.

State law criminalised the recruitment of children in terrorist organisations. A national counter-terrorism action plan was currently being developed.

Repatriated children below the age of criminal responsibility were classified as victims of crime and the State prioritised providing family homes for children when possible and alternative care arrangements as a last resort. Repatriated children went through a reintegration programme to support their return into society.

Citizenship law required that at least one parent was a Maldivian citizen for Maldivian citizenship to be passed to children. Children born to foreign parents were not entitled to birthright citizenship. Maldives linked essential State services to identify card numbers to incentivise birth registration. In complex cases, temporary registration documents were issued to newborns to ensure that they could obtain essential services. Birth registration was digitised in 2021, which helped to ensure that every child was registered. Healthcare providers were required to register all births within seven days and identity documents were provided within four days of registration.

Concluding Statements

HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, said that the Committee sought to help Maldives to move forward in protecting and promoting the rights of children. She congratulated the country on the progress it had made. The State party needed to pay attention to the concerns raised by the Committee in the dialogue and continue its efforts, with a focus on prevention. Children between 12 and 15 were increasingly attracted by gangs, and there needed to be active prevention of this. Punitive measures to address this needed to be used only as a last resort. Maldives needed to assess how other Muslim countries were addressing issues related to recognition of paternity and children's identity. In closing, Ms. Idrissi expressed hope that Maldives would continue to make progress in implementing the Convention.

AHMED USHAM, Attorney General and head of the delegation, expressed thanks to the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Maldives was a small island developing State with limited financial and human capacity, which made engagement with treaty bodies a real challenge. However, the State was committed to engaging in such reviews, following its firm commitment to upholding the rule of law. It hoped that its determination to strengthen protection and promotion of children's rights had been evident throughout the dialogue. The State's goal was to ensure that no child was left behind. It would carefully consider the Committee's recommendations and integrate them into ongoing and future policy and legislative processes. The national mechanism for implementation, reporting and follow-up would continue to coordinate efforts under the Convention and monitor progress. Maldives remained focused on ensuring the best interests of the child and realising the development of all children. It would enhance accountability and promote environments were every child was safe, respected and able to thrive.

SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair, congratulated the State party on the achievements it had presented in the dialogue. It had shown that it was committed to promoting children's rights, despite its resource limitations. The Committee would do its best to develop recommendations based on the dialogue that would ensure the best for the children of Maldives, considering realities on the ground. Ms. Kiladze expressed hope that these recommendations would be implemented and that the State party would maintain its commitment to promoting children's rights.

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