Minister of Defence Mariya Didi has highlighted the importance of stronger leadership and providing broader opportunities for women in the military.
The minister made the remarks in her video message for the side-event hosted by the 65th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on the Role of Women Leaders in the Military and Peacekeeping, organized by Latvia and co-hosted by the Maldives. The video message was aired as part of a panel discussion led by female Brigadier Generals and Colonels from Canada, Liberia, Norway and the host Latvia.
In her remarks, the Defence Minister stressed the need for stronger leadership, and broader, wider and greater roles and opportunities for women in the military, drawing on research findings from international experts in the field of gender equality in the armed forces. Highlighting President Solih’s government’s proactive, growth-centered approach to ensuring gender equality, Minister Mariya noted that the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has recruited more female soldiers than any other time in the institution’s 128-year-old history, over the past 2-and-a-half years, using targeted recruitment strategies, and that, in January this year, a record number of female soldiers attained promotions.
The minister said the government firmly believes the synergies of women and men should be combined to effectively deal with contemporary threats. Noting that it was only 32 years ago that the institution began admitting female soldiers, the minister highlighted the recent development where 3 officers made history by being the first female soldiers to attain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She added the Advisory Council of the MNDF – the highest rung of decision-making within the apex organization – was then reconfigured allow Lieutenant Colonels in, so that women can sit on the esteemed Council for the first time.
Shedding light on the decades-old norm of sending only male cadets to the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK at the expense of untapped female talent, Minister Mariya noted, for contrast, the example of Officer Cadet Firushana Thaufeeq - the first female Maldivian soldier to be sent for a Commissioning Course at the Academy - who won the Best International Student Award earlier this week.
Outside the military, Minister Mariya listed key progressive steps taken by the government such as the reservation of 33% of all local council seats for women, appointing two female Justices to the Supreme Court, and appointing a female Minister of Defence among several other female cabinet ministers.