Male’, Maldives – The President of Maldives has appointed Niumath Shafeeq as the first Children’s Ombudperson, along with the establishment of the Children’s Ombudperson’s Office after being endorsed by the parliament unanimously on July 20.
The appointment of a Child Rights Ombudsperson was a crucial component to the implementation of the amended Child Rights Protection Act, which came into effect on February 20 this year.
The Ombudsperson is tasked with determining the extent to which state institutions adhere to the Child Rights Protection Act as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, enforcing the implementation of the Act and the Convention, and monitoring and evaluating institutions and personnel involved in protecting children’s rights.
An important aspect of Ombudsperson duties is also the power to regulate which information is communicated to the public, therefore protecting the privacy and security of the child in question.
Prior to her appointment, she was a consultant at UNICEF and also volunteered as Chief Commissioner of the Maldives Girl Guide Association and has lectured part-time at higher education institutions.
In May, the parliament approved a monthly salary of MVR 35,000 for the Ombudsperson.
Source: Edition
