Child protection conference ongoing at Bandos

The Ministry of Health’s Department of Gender and Family is hosting the National Conference on Working Together for the Protection of Children, over two days at Bandos Island Resort and Spa.

Speaking at the opening of the two-day conference yesterday, President Mohamed Nasheed expressed concern over rising incidences of sexual, physical and psychological violence against children in the Maldives.

Visits to islands and report from government departments, UN Agencies and NGOs revealed “a bleak picture of violence against children,” Nasheed said.

He emphasised the benefits of providing immediate assistance directly to children at risk, over spending money to set up systems and infrastructure to work for the protection of children.

Also speaking at the opening of the conference yesterday, UNICEF representative Bertrand Mendis noted a shift in societal attitudes towards cases of child abuse, and that more civil society organisations were being formed and that the media was reporting more on cases of violence against children.

He also referred to a survey conducted in the Maldives in 2008, showing that 26 percent of children have been psychologically abused and 14 percent of children physically abused. Eight percent of children have been abused by the teachers.