President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced plans to formulate a National Registry of Persons with Disabilities and the decision to raise the disability allowance in the final quarter of this year. He made the announcement while delivering the Presidential Address at the Parliament of the Maldives.
The president announced the decision to increase the disability allowance before the end of the year which would be achieved with the formulation of a National Registry of Persons with Disabilities for the first time in the Maldives. Outlining the commitment of the administration to protect the rights of disabled persons, the president noted that the data collected through the national registry would pave the way to improve essential services, rehabilitation, and therapy provided to them.
There are more than 36,000 people with special needs in the Maldives, according to statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). They are currently being provided with a monthly allowance of USD129.
Furthermore, President Solih went on to affirm his commitment to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities. As such, the administration had included therapeutic treatment for children and people with disabilities under the Aasandha National Health Insurance Scheme in 2019.
The president outlined the administration's plans to improve the status of children under state care, providing details of steps taken to ensure their safety and provide homely and familial environments through relocation to the atolls. The administration has always been a strong advocate of gender equality. In this regard, significant strides have been made to increase women's participation in all state and national-level engagements and to promote the economic empowerment of women.
Despite the progress in reducing gender inequalities in the health and education sectors in the Global Gender Gap Index, President Solih stated that more work needed to be done on the political and economic fronts. The administration has made great strides to protect the rights of vulnerable groups, especially women and children.
In this regard, the president has revealed plans to develop three centres for victims of domestic abuse. The facilities would be developed in Hulhumalé, Ungoofaaru in Raa Atoll, and Hithadhoo in Addu City.