Inquiry on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women in the Maldives

This study was based on the objective of assessing the impact of COVID-19 on all aspects of higher education country-wide, including policy, academic affairs, management and financial responses, and psychological fitness of stakeholders within the higher education sector of the Maldives. The emergency response of the higher education institutions (HEIs) to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of their response on students, staff and the institutions were analysed by collecting data both quantitatively (stakeholder survey questionnaires) and qualitatively (stakeholder interviews). In total, 12 stakeholder interviews were conducted with higher education stakeholders, and 1187 survey questionnaires were filled by students and academic & non-academic staff of HEIs. The findings show adjustments that were made by HEIs and the challenges faced by the students, staff, and the institutions in transitioning to remote online teaching and learning.

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted societies all over the world to a large extent, and it is not any different in the Maldives. At the time of the survey, the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the Maldives since its first reported case in early March 2020, threatening the health of the country’s population of 507,660 which includes 100,000 migrant workers (World Bank, 2020). The government of the Maldives had taken early preventative interventions (Suzana et al., 2020) and restrictive measures to control the spread of the virus including closing the country’s borders, to restricting island to island travels and closing down schools and other offices (MED 2020; Moosa & Usman, 2020). However, the lockdown measures have been gradually eased from July 2020 onwards, and now the government continues with the less restrictive measures such as contact tracing, mandating face masks for everyone while in public places, while continuing restrictions on large gatherings, and partial curfews in the greater Male’ area.

Maldives reported its first case of Covid-19 on 7th March 2020 and as of 11 August 2020 reported 5,223 confirmed cases and 2849 recoveries with 20 deaths. The country reported its first community case on the 15th April 2020 which triggered the lockdown of the Greater Male’ area with travel restrictions between islands and restrictions on mobility within the capital city. The objective of the survey was to understand the extent of knowledge, perceptions, concerns and behaviors related to Covid-19 and its prevention, population health, access to essential services and to explore the effects on employment and income.

Construction is an increasingly important sector in the Maldivian economy. For the past several years, construction sector GDP hovered around the second or third highest in the economy. However, the sector has been adversely affected from the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic as unprecedented prevention measures had to be taken, globally and in the Maldives that severely restricted people’s movements, business operations, and economic and social activities. (See Annex 1 for a timeline of key global and domestic events of the pandemic).

The first community case of Covid-19 in the Maldives was reported on the 15th April 2020 which triggered the lockdown of Greater Male’ area with travel restrictions between islands, closure of businesses, government offices, schools and other movement of the people was restricted. The lockdown lasted about 45 days before any ease of movement was given. This report presents the preliminary results of the second round of online survey launched on the 12th of June 2020 to explore the extent of exposure to Covid-19, prevention practices, perceptions on easing the restrictions imposed to contain Covid-19, quality of life, access to essential services and the impact on work and income during lockdown.

މިއީ ކޯވިޑް-19 ވަބާގެ ސަބަބުން ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ފަތުރުވެރިކަމުގެ ވިޔަފާރިއަށް، މިހިނގާ 2020 ވަނަ އަހަރާއި 2021 ވަނަ އަހަރު ކުރާނޭކަމަށް ބެލެވޭ އަސަރުތައް ދެނެގަތުމަށް، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހުގެ އެދި ވަޑައިގަތުމަކަށް ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޤައުމީ ޔުނިވަރސިޓީއިން ކުރި ދިރާސާއެކެވެ. މަޖިލީހުން ދެއްވި ތަފުޞީލީ އިޚްތިޞާޞް (އެނެކްސް 1)ގެދަށުން މި ދިރާސާކުރެވިފައި ވަނީ ފަތުރުވެރިކަމުގެ ވުޒާރާގެ ރަޖިސްޓަރީގައިވާ ރިސޯޓުތަކާއި ހޮޓާތަކާއި އުޅަނދުތަކާއި ގެސްޓް ހައުސްތަކުގެ ތެރެއިން(ޖުމުލަ 736ގެ ތެރެއިން ތަމުސީލީ ސާންޕަލް އަދަދަށް ފުދޭ 246 ތަނަށް) އަމާޒުކޮށްގެންނެވެ. ދިރާސާކުރީ ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޤައުމީ ޔުނިވަރސިޓީގެ ރިސަރޗަރުންނެވެ.