Malé, Maldives – The Parliament Human Rights and Gender Committee, today, decided to order the Maldives Media Council (MMC) to investigate the media coverage of the developing crisis at state children’s shelter Fiyavathi.
Fuvahmulah constituency Parliamentarian Mohamed Mumthaz said that the coverage by some media on the Fiyavathi crisis was not per protocol, by sharing photos and videos of the crisis on their private social media accounts. He proposed that media be investigated by the MMC.
MP Mumthaz also said that a Malé councillor was present at the scene, tried communicating with the children and letting people into the shelter’s compound. He requested the councillor’s case to be sent to the Local Government Authority (LGA) of Maldives to be investigated.
The Parliament Human Rights and Gender Committee passed both proposals.
Regarding the Fiyavathi crisis, the Child and Family Protection Service released a statement stating that some children have been exhibiting issues for the past three days and urged the public to not photograph, video or give the minors an audience as this will further trigger the children.
In June 2021, Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services took action against the media over the alleged violation of child rights in their coverage of the murder of a 13-year-old boy in Malé City.
