26 August 2019

For every child, a second chance

CRC Article 40: The right to be treated fairly under the law, Seven years ago, Ahmed stood frozen in a Maldivian courtroom. “I was given a jail sentence of 16 years and eight months,” Ahmed said. “I was so sad. All I was thinking about was my family and how ashamed they would feel because of me.” At 17 years of ...
24 February 2019

Suha's story

Suha’s story, A UNICEF volunteer shares her experiences with drugs and justice in the Maldives. Less than two months after she tried drugs for the first time, Suha was in a jail cell. “I started doing drugs because it seemed like everyone I loved was doing them,” Suha* said. “I thought there had to be something go...
07 February 2019

Child protection

Context and challenges, In recent years, the Maldives has strengthened its focus on protecting children and adolescents. The Maldives was among the first countries to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991. This marked a national change in the way children are viewed and treated – as hum...