The Ministry of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology has reaffirmed its commitment to building a safe Maldives where everyone can live without fear, dignity is protected, and efforts to combat human trafficking are strengthened.
This year’s observance is being held under the theme “Trapped Behind the Scam”. The Ministry said it serves as a reminder that human trafficking has moved beyond traditional patterns of crime and is an evolving threat.
The Ministry noted that incidents involving people being lured with false promises of employment and subsequently confined are increasing in different parts of the world, particularly through the use of modern technology, social media and digital platforms. It said the Maldives must strengthen its response to the evolving networks behind such crimes.
The Ministry said preventing human trafficking in the Maldives is a matter to which the Government attaches the highest priority. As the Maldives has an open economy with significant participation from foreign workers, the State has a responsibility to ensure human dignity and legal protection for every person living in the country.
It further said preventing the exploitation or abuse of workers is the responsibility of all institutions working to protect workers’ rights. However, the Ministry noted that the issue cannot be resolved through the Government’s administrative system alone and requires the support of an informed society.
In its statement, the Ministry said significant measures have been taken over the past two years to strengthen efforts against human trafficking and exploitation.
It said the transfer in April of all Government offices and divisions responsible for labour-related matters under the Ministry was a decision that paved the way for stronger coordination of efforts against such crimes.
The Ministry also said that a roadmap outlining how Government institutions will work to combat human trafficking has been published under the Maldives Anti-Human Trafficking Strategic Plan 2026–2028, and implementation has begun.
By the conclusion of the plan, the Ministry expects the existing systemic issues to be resolved and the overall system to be strengthened.
The Ministry said one of the Government’s main objectives is to establish a system capable of identifying potential offences before they occur and preventing them.
As achieving this objective requires greater awareness, the Ministry said it is expanding awareness programmes targeting foreign workers and employers.
The Ministry said educating workers about their rights both before and after they arrive in the Maldives, while clearly explaining the channels available for reporting problems, is an important part of efforts to reduce exploitation.
It added that strengthening migration management through biometric registration and digital systems would also improve system transparency.