Former Maldivian defence minister Ameen Faisal&nbsp;has been charged with terrorism over the arrest of President Abdulla Yameen in 2010 during former president Mohamed Nasheed&#39;s administration.

The preliminary hearing of the case schedule for today was later cancelled.&nbsp;

President Yameen, was a member of the parliament then,&nbsp;was arrested and taken to custody by military officers.&nbsp;

He was kept under custody for more than a week.&nbsp;

He had been initially arrested by the police in a suspected case of bribing parliamentary members, in an attempt to overthrow Nasheed&#39;s government, but was later released under a supreme court order.

Yameen was arrested for the second time and detained by military officers just after he was released.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Ameen Faisal&nbsp;was the defence minister then as well as the advisor of the National security committee.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Faisal&nbsp;said&nbsp;he had done nothing illegal during his time as a defence minister.

(WION)

Ameen?Fisal denied the charge saying?had done nothing illegal during his tenure as a defence minister

Former Maldivian defence minister Ameen Faisal has been charged with terrorism over the arrest of President Abdulla Yameen in 2010 during former president Mohamed Nasheed's administration. The preliminary hearing of the case schedule for today was later cancelled. President Yameen, was a member of the parliament then, was arrested and taken to custody by military officers. He was kept under custody for more than a week. He had been initially arrested by the police in a suspected case of bribing parliamentary members, in an attempt to overthrow Nasheed's government, but was later released under a supreme court order. Yameen was arrested for the second time and detained by military officers just after he was released. Ameen Faisal was the defence minister then as well as the advisor of the National security committee. Faisal said he had done nothing illegal during his time as a defence minister. (WION)

Maldives: Former defence minister charged with terrorism over arrest of President Yameen in 2010

Ram Babu is one among thousands of others in India who are spending their lives in misery because of leprosy. He lives in the largest leprosy colony in India with his four children and wife who have also suffered from leprosy in the past.&nbsp;

Like many others who live in this colony in Delhi, both Ram Babu and his wife are cured, but due to the physical deformity their&nbsp;lives, they say, can never be normal. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;We earn our bread by begging. We face a lot of problems. We have to sleep under the open sky. Life has been no less than hell. No one is there to help us. There is no end to our problems.&quot; he said.&nbsp;

India declared elimination of leprosy at a national level in 2005 but the country&rsquo;s&nbsp;fight against the disease seems to be far from over.

India&nbsp;is home to more than half of the leprosy patients around the world. According to the World Health Organization, over 127,000 new cases were detected in the country in 2015. That&#39;s nearly 60% of the total new cases reported around the world.&nbsp;

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New case detection trends (WHO) (Others)
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The fight against leprosy is not just limited to providing adequate medical support. What is needed first is a change in attitudes. Leprosy is curable, but the age old stigma and discrimination so tightly bound to the disease has not been cured. 
&nbsp; 
People in parts of India still believe that leprosy is a curse by god for the &nbsp;sins of past lives and ostracise those who suffer from it. The social stigma and the fear of discrimination makes leprosy patients hesitant to seek treatment before it&#39;s too late.

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&quot;The main problem about leprosy is the stigma that is attached to the disease. People seem to think &nbsp;that they will lose their dignity and standing in society if their disease is diagnosed and is known to others. So they hide it. Many people do not want to be found because of the stigma attached to the disease.&quot; says Dr.Jerry Joshua, head of the healthcare programmes of The Leprosy Mission Trust India, 
&nbsp; 
Chittar Lal Varman is another leprosy survivor suffering, since the day he was labeled as a &ldquo;leper&rdquo;. He had to leave his hometown when he was diagnosed with leprosy. He came forward for treatment years ago thinking that once he is cured, the way he had been treated will eventually change. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;I got it treated. After treatment leprosy was cured. When I returned home I was treated even more badly because of the physical deformity visible in my hands and legs.&quot; he said.&nbsp;

According to India&rsquo;s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, cases of permanent disabilities due to leprosy have been on the rise over the past decade.&nbsp;

&nbsp;While in 2007&ndash;08, 3,477 cases of disability were recorded, that number has risen to 5,857 in the past year which is a growth of nearly 68 per cent.&nbsp;

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India: Disabilities due to leprosy (WION)
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After a long battle the first big victory for legal activists came in May this year when the 1898 Lepers Act of India, brought in during the British rule, was repealed. But there are many other laws that have been framed on the basis of this act and those still remain.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Nikita Sarah, head of advocacy and communication of The Leprosy Mission Trust India said efforts are needed to make these necessary legal changes.&nbsp;

&quot;For people affected by leprosy there are about 16 discriminatory laws, with provisions within it, they are very discriminatory. The Indian Divorce Act, The Hindu Marriage Act, The Christian Marriage Act, most of these laws have discriminatory provisions it. If your spouse has leprosy it gives you grounds for a divorce.&quot; &nbsp;she said. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The law Commission of India in 2005 proposed a draft bill for eliminating discrimination against persons affected by leprosy. The bill seeks to repeal discriminatory provisions in all existing laws. &nbsp;

While activists are hoping that the Indian government will take it forward, many people affected by leprosy like Ram Babu has been waiting for a better day.

(WION)

&nbsp;

India ?is home to more than half of the leprosy patients around the world. Over 127,000 new cases were detected in the country in 2015

Ram Babu is one among thousands of others in India who are spending their lives in misery because of leprosy. He lives in the largest leprosy colony in India with his four children and wife who have also suffered from leprosy in the past. Like many others who live in this colony in Delhi, both Ram Babu and his wife are cured, but due to the physical deformity their lives, they say, can never be normal. "We earn our bread by begging. We face a lot of problems. We have to sleep under the open sky. Life has been no less than hell. No one is there to help us. There is no end to our problems." he said. India declared elimination of leprosy at a national level in 2005 but the country’s fight against the disease seems to be far from over. India is home to more than half of the leprosy patients around the world. According to the World Health Organization, over 127,000 new cases were detected in the country in 2015. That's nearly 60% of the total new cases reported around the world. New case detection trends (WHO) (Others) × The fight against leprosy is not just limited to providing adequate medical support. What is needed first is a change in attitudes. Leprosy is curable, but the age old stigma and discrimination so tightly bound to the disease has not been cured. People in parts of India still believe that leprosy is a curse by god for the sins of past lives and ostracise those who suffer from it. The social stigma and the fear of discrimination makes leprosy patients hesitant to seek treatment before it's too late. "The main problem about leprosy is the stigma that is attached to the disease. People seem to think that they will lose their dignity and standing in society if their disease is diagnosed and is known to others. So they hide it. Many people do not want to be found because of the stigma attached to the disease." says Dr.Jerry Joshua, head of the healthcare programmes of The Leprosy Mission Trust India, Chittar Lal Varman is another leprosy survivor suffering, since the day he was labeled as a “leper”. He had to leave his hometown when he was diagnosed with leprosy. He came forward for treatment years ago thinking that once he is cured, the way he had been treated will eventually change. "I got it treated. After treatment leprosy was cured. When I returned home I was treated even more badly because of the physical deformity visible in my hands and legs." he said. According to India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, cases of permanent disabilities due to leprosy have been on the rise over the past decade. While in 2007–08, 3,477 cases of disability were recorded, that number has risen to 5,857 in the past year which is a growth of nearly 68 per cent. India: Disabilities due to leprosy (WION) × After a long battle the first big victory for legal activists came in May this year when the 1898 Lepers Act of India, brought in during the British rule, was repealed. But there are many other laws that have been framed on the basis of this act and those still remain. Nikita Sarah, head of advocacy and communication of The Leprosy Mission Trust India said efforts are needed to make these necessary legal changes. "For people affected by leprosy there are about 16 discriminatory laws, with provisions within it, they are very discriminatory. The Indian Divorce Act, The Hindu Marriage Act, The Christian Marriage Act, most of these laws have discriminatory provisions it. If your spouse has leprosy it gives you grounds for a divorce." she said. The law Commission of India in 2005 proposed a draft bill for eliminating discrimination against persons affected by leprosy. The bill seeks to repeal discriminatory provisions in all existing laws. While activists are hoping that the Indian government will take it forward, many people affected by leprosy like Ram Babu has been waiting for a better day. (WION)

India's fight against leprosy : A lost battle?

During its visit to Maldives, a Pakistani delegation carried what seems to be a targeted &quot;campaign&quot; against India. Pakistan senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani, in his meeting with the President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Monday stressed that Pakistan was committed to ensuring peace and stability in the South Asian region.&nbsp;

&quot;Pakistan is a peace-loving country and desires peace in the region for stability, well-being and alleviation of poverty in the region,&quot; he said at the meeting, accompanied by the Pakistani delegation which included senator Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa, senator Najmul Hassan and Pakistan&rsquo;s ambassador in the Maldives.

He blamed India of &quot;fostering unrest&quot; and &quot;continuing to sponsor state terrorism in Pakistan&quot; and said that despite such provocations Pakistan looks for lasting peace in the region, in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.&nbsp;

Rabbani told the Maldives president that recently a serving Indian naval commander Kulbhushan Yadav was arrested in Pakistan. &quot;This along with other steps being taken by India clearly show its expansion designs in the region.&quot;&nbsp;

It comes at a time when the regional South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, that was scheduled to be held in Pakistan in November, had been cancelled over the ongoing tensions between the two regional powers, India and Pakistan.&nbsp;

The senate chair told the Maldives president that Pakistan respected their decision to leave the Commonwealth, but stressed on the need to continue constructive engagements.&nbsp;

Rabbani, in his meeting with the speaker of People&rsquo;s Majlis (Parliament of the Maldives), &nbsp;Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, on Sunday accused India of using the SAARC platform to further its political agenda against Pakistan.

Pakistan called upon other SAARC countries to reassess the group&#39;s role, particularly, keeping &quot;India&#39;s attitude&quot; in mind. Rabbani said, &quot;any one country should not be permitted to monopolise the forum.&quot; According to the Senate statement, he further emphasised that it would be appropriate for SAARC member states to censor such a move in the future.&nbsp;

Rabbani also highlighted the gross violation of human rights and international laws by India in Jammu and Kashmir, in both his meetings with the Maldivian President as well as the speaker of the People&rsquo;s Majlis.&nbsp;

&quot;He further brought to the notice of the speaker the use of pellet bullets and the loss of eyesight of innocent children. He stated that over 90 days have passed and the valley continued to be under curfew, innocent men, women and children have lost their lives. When all they are demanding is the implementation of the UN resolutions granting them the right of self-determination,&quot; the statement by the senate of Pakistan said.&nbsp;

Maldives, which claims to have an &#39;India first foreign policy&#39;, refrained from including Pakistan&#39;s observations in any official statement by its authourities. Both the President&#39;s office and the People&#39;s Majlis, only stated the discussions to strengthen bilateral ties between Maldives and Pakistan.&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Making a case against India, a Pakistani delegation on a visit to Maldives blamed India of 'fostering unrest' in the South Asian region

During its visit to Maldives, a Pakistani delegation carried what seems to be a targeted "campaign" against India. Pakistan senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani, in his meeting with the President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Monday stressed that Pakistan was committed to ensuring peace and stability in the South Asian region. "Pakistan is a peace-loving country and desires peace in the region for stability, well-being and alleviation of poverty in the region," he said at the meeting, accompanied by the Pakistani delegation which included senator Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa, senator Najmul Hassan and Pakistan’s ambassador in the Maldives. He blamed India of "fostering unrest" and "continuing to sponsor state terrorism in Pakistan" and said that despite such provocations Pakistan looks for lasting peace in the region, in accordance with the United Nations resolutions. Rabbani told the Maldives president that recently a serving Indian naval commander Kulbhushan Yadav was arrested in Pakistan. "This along with other steps being taken by India clearly show its expansion designs in the region." It comes at a time when the regional South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, that was scheduled to be held in Pakistan in November, had been cancelled over the ongoing tensions between the two regional powers, India and Pakistan. The senate chair told the Maldives president that Pakistan respected their decision to leave the Commonwealth, but stressed on the need to continue constructive engagements. Rabbani, in his meeting with the speaker of People’s Majlis (Parliament of the Maldives), Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, on Sunday accused India of using the SAARC platform to further its political agenda against Pakistan. Pakistan called upon other SAARC countries to reassess the group's role, particularly, keeping "India's attitude" in mind. Rabbani said, "any one country should not be permitted to monopolise the forum." According to the Senate statement, he further emphasised that it would be appropriate for SAARC member states to censor such a move in the future. Rabbani also highlighted the gross violation of human rights and international laws by India in Jammu and Kashmir, in both his meetings with the Maldivian President as well as the speaker of the People’s Majlis. "He further brought to the notice of the speaker the use of pellet bullets and the loss of eyesight of innocent children. He stated that over 90 days have passed and the valley continued to be under curfew, innocent men, women and children have lost their lives. When all they are demanding is the implementation of the UN resolutions granting them the right of self-determination," the statement by the senate of Pakistan said. Maldives, which claims to have an 'India first foreign policy', refrained from including Pakistan's observations in any official statement by its authourities. Both the President's office and the People's Majlis, only stated the discussions to strengthen bilateral ties between Maldives and Pakistan. (WION)

Pakistan blames India for 'instability' in region, calls for reassessment of SAARC's role

The Civil Court of the Maldives on Sunday ordered Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to hand over the party leadership to his half-brother and Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The&nbsp;lawsuit had been filed by two council members of the PPM&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;Naifaru constituency lawmaker Mohamed Shiyam and Hulhudhoo constituency lawmaker Mohamed Shahid, who are loyal&nbsp;to President Yameen&nbsp;&mdash; seeking Maumoon&#39;s dismissal for suspending party operations.

The court ruling found Maumoon guilty of violating the constitution, party charter and political party law.

The court has ordered President&nbsp;Yameen to hold an emergency council meeting in the next 24 hours. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 9 pm local time.

Maumoon, a former Maldivian president, has decided to appeal in the high court against the civil court&#39;s judgment.

Maumoon&#39;s ouster comes amid deep divide in the country&#39;s ruling party due to a growing rift between the Gayoom brothers.

The party has been riven by power tussle as its members have been split over which brother to support.

The fault lines were laid bare after the PPM council requested to grant the&nbsp;ticket to President Yameen&nbsp;to contest the&nbsp;2018 presidential election without a primary, a decision that was criticised&nbsp;by Maumoon.&nbsp;Maumoon had refused saying that he cannot go against the democratic values of the party.&nbsp;

According to the party&#39;s charter, a presidential candidate from the party must be elected through a primary held three to six months prior to the presidential elections.&nbsp;

Maumoon inducted&nbsp;Yameen&#39;s former interior minister Umar Naseer into the party council for publicly echoing the same concern.&nbsp;

On Saturday, the civil court said the&nbsp;advisory committee set up by Maumoon for his reform agenda was illegitimate. The court said&nbsp;that&nbsp;any panel assembled by the party president without the council&#39;s approval was not lawful.

The court case was filed against Maumoon on Saturday, just two days after a senior party leader and a President Yameen loyalist&nbsp;Ahmed Nihaan Hussain Manik denied any intention of trying to remove Maumoon from his post.

(WION)

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's ouster comes amid deep divide in the country's ruling party due to a growing rift between the Gayoom brothers

The Civil Court of the Maldives on Sunday ordered Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to hand over the party leadership to his half-brother and Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom. The lawsuit had been filed by two council members of the PPM — Naifaru constituency lawmaker Mohamed Shiyam and Hulhudhoo constituency lawmaker Mohamed Shahid, who are loyal to President Yameen — seeking Maumoon's dismissal for suspending party operations. The court ruling found Maumoon guilty of violating the constitution, party charter and political party law. The court has ordered President Yameen to hold an emergency council meeting in the next 24 hours. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 9 pm local time. Maumoon, a former Maldivian president, has decided to appeal in the high court against the civil court's judgment. Maumoon's ouster comes amid deep divide in the country's ruling party due to a growing rift between the Gayoom brothers. The party has been riven by power tussle as its members have been split over which brother to support. The fault lines were laid bare after the PPM council requested to grant the ticket to President Yameen to contest the 2018 presidential election without a primary, a decision that was criticised by Maumoon. Maumoon had refused saying that he cannot go against the democratic values of the party. According to the party's charter, a presidential candidate from the party must be elected through a primary held three to six months prior to the presidential elections. Maumoon inducted Yameen's former interior minister Umar Naseer into the party council for publicly echoing the same concern. On Saturday, the civil court said the advisory committee set up by Maumoon for his reform agenda was illegitimate. The court said that any panel assembled by the party president without the council's approval was not lawful. The court case was filed against Maumoon on Saturday, just two days after a senior party leader and a President Yameen loyalist Ahmed Nihaan Hussain Manik denied any intention of trying to remove Maumoon from his post. (WION)

Maldives: Court tells PPM chief Maumoon to hand over party reins to President Yameen

The chairman of the senate of Pakistan, Mian Razan Rabbani, met&nbsp;the speaker of People&rsquo;s Majlis (the unicameral legislative body of the Maldives), &nbsp;Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, on Sunday and held discussions about strengthening bilateral ties.&nbsp;

Rabbani arrived in Maldives on Saturday night following an invitation by Maseeh Mohamed.

Ahead of departure from Pakistan, Rabbani had said&nbsp;that Pakistan places its bilateral relationship with the island nation&nbsp;at high esteem and desires to further enhance mutual cooperation and parliamentary linkages. &quot;Both the countries have supported each other on international forums and boosting parliamentary cooperation would give further impetus to our friendly ties,&quot; he had said.&nbsp;

He was greeted at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport&nbsp;by Maseeh Mohamed and some members of parliament (MPs), including the majority leader Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik.

The senate chaiman is also scheduled to meet the President of the Maldives and visit the Islamic center during his visit.

It&#39;s pertinent to mention that the regional SAARC summit that was scheduled to be held in Pakistan in November&nbsp;had been canceled over the ongoing tensions between the two regional powers, India and Pakistan.&nbsp;

India was the first country to pull out of SAARC summit and was later followed by Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan. Sri Lanka became the fifth country to pull out of the regional summit leaving the current SAARC chair Nepal, and the host country Pakistan and the Maldives. Pakistan has subsequently postponed the summit after the massive pullout.&nbsp;

Both Maldives and Nepal have urged the South Asian nations to create a conducive environment for the summit. &nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The four-day visit is to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between Pakistan and the Maldives and explore avenues of bilateral ties

The chairman of the senate of Pakistan, Mian Razan Rabbani, met the speaker of People’s Majlis (the unicameral legislative body of the Maldives), Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, on Sunday and held discussions about strengthening bilateral ties. Rabbani arrived in Maldives on Saturday night following an invitation by Maseeh Mohamed. Ahead of departure from Pakistan, Rabbani had said that Pakistan places its bilateral relationship with the island nation at high esteem and desires to further enhance mutual cooperation and parliamentary linkages. "Both the countries have supported each other on international forums and boosting parliamentary cooperation would give further impetus to our friendly ties," he had said. He was greeted at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport by Maseeh Mohamed and some members of parliament (MPs), including the majority leader Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik. The senate chaiman is also scheduled to meet the President of the Maldives and visit the Islamic center during his visit. It's pertinent to mention that the regional SAARC summit that was scheduled to be held in Pakistan in November had been canceled over the ongoing tensions between the two regional powers, India and Pakistan. India was the first country to pull out of SAARC summit and was later followed by Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan. Sri Lanka became the fifth country to pull out of the regional summit leaving the current SAARC chair Nepal, and the host country Pakistan and the Maldives. Pakistan has subsequently postponed the summit after the massive pullout. Both Maldives and Nepal have urged the South Asian nations to create a conducive environment for the summit. (WION)

Pakistan senate chairman visits Maldives to strengthen bilateral ties

Two days after he commented that Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom can secure another term without his half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom&#39;s support, deputy leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla was dismissed from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He has been removed from the party&#39;s council by the PPM leader and former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. In a letter sent&nbsp;to Abdul&nbsp;Raheem today, Maumoon said he will no longer be the deputy leader of PPM following the dismissal from the council.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

According to the PPM charter, the letter says &quot;the deputy leader has to support the party leader&quot;, however, Abdul Raheem &quot;has not lent any support to the party&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Maumoon accused Abdul Raheem of violating the charter and the spirit of the party and working against the party leader. &quot;He has been working against me. He has been forcing members to sign petitions without my knowledge. He has also been defaming me in the media,&quot; Maumoon said.&nbsp;

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<h5>Maumoon added that Abdul Raheem&#39;s actions are unacceptable and he has been receiving several&nbsp;complaints about&nbsp;his deputy&#39;s actions from the&nbsp;party members.</h5>
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He added that Abdul Raheem&#39;s actions are unacceptable and he has been receiving several&nbsp;complaints about&nbsp;his deputy&#39;s actions from the&nbsp;party members.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The decision comes as Abdul Raheem expressed his loyalty towards President Yameen on Thursday at a press conference. &nbsp;&quot;Yameen will definitely win the 2018 election. Anyone who doesn&#39;t want to back him can stay at home. PPM parliamentary group and the council will work together and secure a second term for President Yameen. We do not have any doubt over this,&quot; &nbsp;Abdul Raheem&nbsp;had said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The ongoing row between President Yameen and his half-brother, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, over various issues has created a &nbsp;deep divide in the ruling PPM. While PPM council had requested to grant the party ticket for 2018 presidential election to President Yameen without a primary, Maumoon had refused saying that he cannot go against the democratic values of the party.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Yameen&#39;s former interior minister Umar Naseer, who announced that he will run for the&nbsp;president&#39;s post&nbsp;in 2018, has been appointed to the PPM council by PPM leader Maumoon. Umar has made his commitments to Maumoon&#39;s reform agenda and he has&nbsp;been rallying support for the PPM Presidential Primary to compete against Yameen while Yameen&#39;s supporters are looking for a way&nbsp;to eliminate the primary to grant party ticket to Yameen without a primary.

&nbsp;

Maumoon has also dismissed two other members from the party council today along with Abdul Raheem. Both the dismissed members, PPM Council member Zahid Rameez and PPM Youth Council president Ibrahim Yoosuf also happen to be from the faction loyal to President Yameen.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

PPM MPs file case for Gayoom&#39;s dismissal from party post

Meanwhile, two council members of the PPM on Saturday filed a case in the country&#39;s civil court asking for Maumoon&#39;s dismissal from his party post.

Mohamed Shiyam, MP Naifaru constituency and Mohamed Shahid, MP Hulhudhoo constituency requested the court to order the PPM council to remove Maumoon as party leader and hand over the role to someone capable of protecting the rights of the people and following rules and regulations.

Both MPs accused the former Maldives president of &quot;hijacking&quot; PPM by suspending party operation and of violating the country&#39;s Political Parties Act.

The civil Court has summoned the PPM to attend tomorrow&#39;s hearing at 3:30 pm.

This court case filing comes after the deputy leader of PPM Abdul Raheem Abdulla was removed today from the party&#39;s council by the PPM leader and former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. In a letter sent to Abdul Raheem today, Maumoon said he will no longer be the deputy leader of PPM following the dismissal from the council. &nbsp;

Just two days back, leader of the PPM PG group, Ahmed Nihaan Hussain Manik, denied any intention of trying to remove Maumoon from his post.

Maumoon earlier cancelled a trip to Egypt over plans to unseat him.

(WION)

Former president Maumoon took the decision to remove Abdul Raheem from party council after he expressed loyalty to the Maldives President

Two days after he commented that Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom can secure another term without his half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's support, deputy leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla was dismissed from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) today. He has been removed from the party's council by the PPM leader and former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. In a letter sent to Abdul Raheem today, Maumoon said he will no longer be the deputy leader of PPM following the dismissal from the council. According to the PPM charter, the letter says "the deputy leader has to support the party leader", however, Abdul Raheem "has not lent any support to the party". Maumoon accused Abdul Raheem of violating the charter and the spirit of the party and working against the party leader. "He has been working against me. He has been forcing members to sign petitions without my knowledge. He has also been defaming me in the media," Maumoon said. Maumoon added that Abdul Raheem's actions are unacceptable and he has been receiving several complaints about his deputy's actions from the party members. × He added that Abdul Raheem's actions are unacceptable and he has been receiving several complaints about his deputy's actions from the party members. The decision comes as Abdul Raheem expressed his loyalty towards President Yameen on Thursday at a press conference. "Yameen will definitely win the 2018 election. Anyone who doesn't want to back him can stay at home. PPM parliamentary group and the council will work together and secure a second term for President Yameen. We do not have any doubt over this," Abdul Raheem had said. The ongoing row between President Yameen and his half-brother, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, over various issues has created a deep divide in the ruling PPM. While PPM council had requested to grant the party ticket for 2018 presidential election to President Yameen without a primary, Maumoon had refused saying that he cannot go against the democratic values of the party. Meanwhile, Yameen's former interior minister Umar Naseer, who announced that he will run for the president's post in 2018, has been appointed to the PPM council by PPM leader Maumoon. Umar has made his commitments to Maumoon's reform agenda and he has been rallying support for the PPM Presidential Primary to compete against Yameen while Yameen's supporters are looking for a way to eliminate the primary to grant party ticket to Yameen without a primary. Maumoon has also dismissed two other members from the party council today along with Abdul Raheem. Both the dismissed members, PPM Council member Zahid Rameez and PPM Youth Council president Ibrahim Yoosuf also happen to be from the faction loyal to President Yameen. PPM MPs file case for Gayoom's dismissal from party post Meanwhile, two council members of the PPM on Saturday filed a case in the country's civil court asking for Maumoon's dismissal from his party post. Mohamed Shiyam, MP Naifaru constituency and Mohamed Shahid, MP Hulhudhoo constituency requested the court to order the PPM council to remove Maumoon as party leader and hand over the role to someone capable of protecting the rights of the people and following rules and regulations. Both MPs accused the former Maldives president of "hijacking" PPM by suspending party operation and of violating the country's Political Parties Act. The civil Court has summoned the PPM to attend tomorrow's hearing at 3:30 pm. This court case filing comes after the deputy leader of PPM Abdul Raheem Abdulla was removed today from the party's council by the PPM leader and former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. In a letter sent to Abdul Raheem today, Maumoon said he will no longer be the deputy leader of PPM following the dismissal from the council. Just two days back, leader of the PPM PG group, Ahmed Nihaan Hussain Manik, denied any intention of trying to remove Maumoon from his post. Maumoon earlier cancelled a trip to Egypt over plans to unseat him. (WION)

Maldives: PPM's deputy leader dismissed for 'not lending support to the party'

Britain&#39;s foreign secretary Boris Johnson on Thursday expressed UK&#39;s disappointment after Maldives announced its decision to leave the Commonwealth.

Johnson, however, said the&nbsp;UK will continue to work with the troubled island nation in the Indian Ocean.

&quot;We believe in the Commonwealth and its commitment to improve the lives of people across all its member states. The Commonwealth is an organisation dedicated to developing free and democratic societies, and to promote peace and prosperity. And we regret that the Maldives has chosen to leave,&quot; Johnson said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;We will continue to work with the Maldives government to help strengthen democracy, particularly freedom of speech and the media and independence of the judiciary. The stability of the country must be central to what happens next,&quot; he said.

Maldives on Thursday decided to leave the Commonwealth, an intergovernmental organisation that now constitutes of 52 member states, mostly former British colonies.&nbsp;

The Maldives government accused the Commonwealth of trying to interfere in its domestic issues ever since former president Mohamed Nasheed resigned in February 2012. Male also alleged that Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the Commonwealth Secretariat have treated the Maldives &quot;unfairly&quot;.

Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) for the third time since 2012 had placed Maldives on CMAG&#39;s formal agenda, a step towards suspension or expulsion from the multilateral body. This comes at the CMAG&#39;s last meeting held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Boris Johnson expressed UK's disappointment as Male announced its decision to leave Commonwealth

Britain's foreign secretary Boris Johnson on Thursday expressed UK's disappointment after Maldives announced its decision to leave the Commonwealth. Johnson, however, said the UK will continue to work with the troubled island nation in the Indian Ocean. "We believe in the Commonwealth and its commitment to improve the lives of people across all its member states. The Commonwealth is an organisation dedicated to developing free and democratic societies, and to promote peace and prosperity. And we regret that the Maldives has chosen to leave," Johnson said in a statement. "We will continue to work with the Maldives government to help strengthen democracy, particularly freedom of speech and the media and independence of the judiciary. The stability of the country must be central to what happens next," he said. Maldives on Thursday decided to leave the Commonwealth, an intergovernmental organisation that now constitutes of 52 member states, mostly former British colonies. The Maldives government accused the Commonwealth of trying to interfere in its domestic issues ever since former president Mohamed Nasheed resigned in February 2012. Male also alleged that Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the Commonwealth Secretariat have treated the Maldives "unfairly". Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) for the third time since 2012 had placed Maldives on CMAG's formal agenda, a step towards suspension or expulsion from the multilateral body. This comes at the CMAG's last meeting held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. (WION)

Maldives quits Commonwealth: UK will continue to work with Male, says Boris Johnson?

Maldives announced the decision to leave the Commonwealth today over &quot;unfair treatment&quot;.&nbsp;

The Commonwealth is an intergovernmental organisation made up of 52 member states, mostly former British colonies. The Maldives joined in 1982.&nbsp;

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom took the decision following a cabinet meeting. &quot;The decision to leave the Commonwealth was difficult but inevitable,&quot; a statement later released by the&nbsp;ministry of foreign affairs said.&nbsp;

The Maldives government said that the Commonwealth had been trying to interfere in the domestic issues ever since former president Mohamed Nasheed resigned in February 2012.

&quot;The Commonwealth sought to take punitive actions against the Maldives since 2012 after the then President of Maldives resigned, and transfer of power took place as per the procedures set out in the Constitution. The Commonwealth&rsquo;s decision to penalise the Maldives was unjustified especially given that the Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI), established with the help of the Commonwealth, found that the transfer of power in the Maldives was consistent with the constitutional provisions,&quot; the statement by the foreign ministry said.&nbsp;

The Maldives government also said that the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the Commonwealth Secretariat have treated the Maldives &quot;unfairly&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;The Commonwealth has sought to become an active participant in the domestic political discourse in the Maldives, which is contrary to the principles of the Charters of the United Nations and the Commonwealth. The CMAG and the Commonwealth Secretariat seem to be convinced that the Maldives, because of the high and favourable reputation that the country enjoys internationally, and also perhaps because it is a small state that lacks material power, would be an easy object that can be used, especially in the name of democracy promotion, to increase the organisation&rsquo;s own relevance and leverage in international politics,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

The Maldivian government claims to&nbsp;offer&nbsp;maximum cooperation to the Commonwealth, show&nbsp;maximum transparency and engage&nbsp;with the Commonwealth at the highest levels. The government says the Commonwealth has not acknowledged the progress and achievements that the Maldives accomplished in cultivating a culture of democracy in the country and in building and strengthening democratic institutions.&nbsp;

&quot;Government of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has enacted a total of 110 pieces of legislations. Out of which, 94 legislations were directly related to the core values set out in the Commonwealth Charter. An overwhelming majority of these legislations (69 out of 94) were specifically designed to promote human rights, to strengthen democratic governance, and to reinforce the separation of powers. These achievements have resulted in strengthening the rule of law and produced tangible outcomes in strengthening democratic institutions in the country,&quot; the government highlights in the official statement.&nbsp;

Pertinently, Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) had decided to put Maldives on CMAG&#39;s formal agenda, a step towards suspension or expulsion from the multilateral body. This comes&nbsp;at the CMAG&#39;s last meeting held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The decision was taken after reviewing Maldives&#39; progress on a six-point reform agenda:&nbsp;progress in political dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition;&nbsp;release of political prisoners;&nbsp;an end to the government using the country&rsquo;s anti-terrorism act to jail political opponents and dissidents;&nbsp;separation of powers and an independent judiciary;&nbsp;and freedom and space for civil society, which&nbsp;CMAG had proposed earlier this year.

After announcing the decision to leave Commonwealth Maldives, the government stated&nbsp;that its international engagement will continue, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

&nbsp;

&#39;Isolation will not solve the problems&#39;&nbsp;

Reacting to the announcement,&nbsp;Amnesty International&rsquo;s South Asia Director, Champa Patel, said the Maldives authorities should address their own human rights situation rather than lash out at legitimate criticism. &ldquo;Instead of complaining about unfair treatment, the Maldives government should look at engaging more constructively with the international community,&quot; &nbsp;the rights body said.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Human rights have been in a complete freefall in the country over the past few years. The government has locked up opponents through politically motivated trials and led an unprecedented crackdown on independent media.&quot; &nbsp;

Former President of the Maldives and Leader of ruling PPM, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, said: &quot;As someone who led Maldives into Commonwealth 34 years ago, I am disappointed that we have left. Isolation will not solve our problems.&quot;

Yameens&#39;s first vice president, Dr&nbsp;Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, also reacted saying:&nbsp;&quot;Yameen&#39;s abrupt decision to leave the Commonwealth after CMAG&#39;s scrutiny shows that he is temperamentally unfit to lead the country.&quot;

&nbsp;

Commonwealth &#39;hopes&#39; &nbsp;the separation is temporary&nbsp;

Responding to Maldives&#39; decision, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: &ldquo;I have received news that the Maldives Government has today decided to leave the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth family at large &ndash; its member governments and its peoples worldwide &ndash; will share my sadness and disappointment at this decision.&nbsp;

&ldquo;The Commonwealth Charter reflects the commitment of our member states to democracy and human rights, development and growth, and diversity. We will continue to champion these values and to support all member states, especially small and developing states, in upholding and advancing these practically for the enduring benefit of their citizens.

&ldquo;Therefore, we hope that this will be a temporary separation and that Maldives will feel able to return to the Commonwealth family and all that it represents in due course.&rdquo;

(WION)&nbsp;

'Yameen's abrupt decision to leave the Commonwealth after CMAG's scrutiny shows that he is temperamentally unfit to lead the country'

Maldives announced the decision to leave the Commonwealth today over "unfair treatment". The Commonwealth is an intergovernmental organisation made up of 52 member states, mostly former British colonies. The Maldives joined in 1982. President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom took the decision following a cabinet meeting. "The decision to leave the Commonwealth was difficult but inevitable," a statement later released by the ministry of foreign affairs said. The Maldives government said that the Commonwealth had been trying to interfere in the domestic issues ever since former president Mohamed Nasheed resigned in February 2012. "The Commonwealth sought to take punitive actions against the Maldives since 2012 after the then President of Maldives resigned, and transfer of power took place as per the procedures set out in the Constitution. The Commonwealth’s decision to penalise the Maldives was unjustified especially given that the Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI), established with the help of the Commonwealth, found that the transfer of power in the Maldives was consistent with the constitutional provisions," the statement by the foreign ministry said. The Maldives government also said that the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the Commonwealth Secretariat have treated the Maldives "unfairly". "The Commonwealth has sought to become an active participant in the domestic political discourse in the Maldives, which is contrary to the principles of the Charters of the United Nations and the Commonwealth. The CMAG and the Commonwealth Secretariat seem to be convinced that the Maldives, because of the high and favourable reputation that the country enjoys internationally, and also perhaps because it is a small state that lacks material power, would be an easy object that can be used, especially in the name of democracy promotion, to increase the organisation’s own relevance and leverage in international politics," it said. The Maldivian government claims to offer maximum cooperation to the Commonwealth, show maximum transparency and engage with the Commonwealth at the highest levels. The government says the Commonwealth has not acknowledged the progress and achievements that the Maldives accomplished in cultivating a culture of democracy in the country and in building and strengthening democratic institutions. "Government of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has enacted a total of 110 pieces of legislations. Out of which, 94 legislations were directly related to the core values set out in the Commonwealth Charter. An overwhelming majority of these legislations (69 out of 94) were specifically designed to promote human rights, to strengthen democratic governance, and to reinforce the separation of powers. These achievements have resulted in strengthening the rule of law and produced tangible outcomes in strengthening democratic institutions in the country," the government highlights in the official statement. Pertinently, Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) had decided to put Maldives on CMAG's formal agenda, a step towards suspension or expulsion from the multilateral body. This comes at the CMAG's last meeting held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The decision was taken after reviewing Maldives' progress on a six-point reform agenda: progress in political dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition; release of political prisoners; an end to the government using the country’s anti-terrorism act to jail political opponents and dissidents; separation of powers and an independent judiciary; and freedom and space for civil society, which CMAG had proposed earlier this year. After announcing the decision to leave Commonwealth Maldives, the government stated that its international engagement will continue, both bilaterally and multilaterally. 'Isolation will not solve the problems' Reacting to the announcement, Amnesty International’s South Asia Director, Champa Patel, said the Maldives authorities should address their own human rights situation rather than lash out at legitimate criticism. “Instead of complaining about unfair treatment, the Maldives government should look at engaging more constructively with the international community," the rights body said. “Human rights have been in a complete freefall in the country over the past few years. The government has locked up opponents through politically motivated trials and led an unprecedented crackdown on independent media." Former President of the Maldives and Leader of ruling PPM, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, said: "As someone who led Maldives into Commonwealth 34 years ago, I am disappointed that we have left. Isolation will not solve our problems." Yameens's first vice president, Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, also reacted saying: "Yameen's abrupt decision to leave the Commonwealth after CMAG's scrutiny shows that he is temperamentally unfit to lead the country." Commonwealth 'hopes' the separation is temporary Responding to Maldives' decision, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: “I have received news that the Maldives Government has today decided to leave the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth family at large – its member governments and its peoples worldwide – will share my sadness and disappointment at this decision. “The Commonwealth Charter reflects the commitment of our member states to democracy and human rights, development and growth, and diversity. We will continue to champion these values and to support all member states, especially small and developing states, in upholding and advancing these practically for the enduring benefit of their citizens. “Therefore, we hope that this will be a temporary separation and that Maldives will feel able to return to the Commonwealth family and all that it represents in due course.” (WION)

Maldives quits Commonwealth over 'unfair treatment'

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom can secure another term in office even without the support of his half-brother and the leader of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, PPM&#39;s deputy leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla said today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The ongoing row between President Yameen and his half-brother former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has created a divide in the ruling PPM. While PPM council had requested to grant the party ticket for 2018 presidential election to President Yameen without a primary, Maumoon had refused saying that he cannot go against the democratic values of the party.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Abdulla, however, told local reporters today during a press conference in the capital city of Male that Yameen will get re-elected in 2018 with or without the support of his half-brother Maumoon.

&nbsp;

&quot;Yameen will definitely win the 2018 election. Anyone who doesn&#39;t want to back him can stay at home. PPM parliamentary group and the council will work together and secure a second term for President Yameen. We do not have any doubt over this,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;

It&#39;s pertinent to mention that PPM charter says that the presidential candidate from the party must be elected through a primary held three to six months prior to the presidential elections.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Yameen&#39;s former home minister Umar Naseer has announced that he will run for the President in 2018 and he has been rallying support for the PPM Presidential Primary.

&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

'Anyone who doesn't want to back him can stay at home,' PPM's deputy leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla said today

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom can secure another term in office even without the support of his half-brother and the leader of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, PPM's deputy leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla said today. The ongoing row between President Yameen and his half-brother former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has created a divide in the ruling PPM. While PPM council had requested to grant the party ticket for 2018 presidential election to President Yameen without a primary, Maumoon had refused saying that he cannot go against the democratic values of the party. Abdulla, however, told local reporters today during a press conference in the capital city of Male that Yameen will get re-elected in 2018 with or without the support of his half-brother Maumoon. "Yameen will definitely win the 2018 election. Anyone who doesn't want to back him can stay at home. PPM parliamentary group and the council will work together and secure a second term for President Yameen. We do not have any doubt over this," he said. It's pertinent to mention that PPM charter says that the presidential candidate from the party must be elected through a primary held three to six months prior to the presidential elections. Meanwhile, Yameen's former home minister Umar Naseer has announced that he will run for the President in 2018 and he has been rallying support for the PPM Presidential Primary. (WION)

'Maldives President can secure another term without half-brother's support,' says PPM's deputy leader

A year after an official audit report exposed a USD 79 million corruption scandal in Maldives, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has apologised to the people of his country adding that he has now placed necessary mechanisms to avoid such scams. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

During his visit to the Fuvahmulah city on Monday night, Gayoom said: &ldquo;Tonight I want to apologise because the MMPRC (Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation) scandal transpired in this regime.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, leader of the Maldives United Opposition (MUO) and the first vice president under the Yameen government, however, questioned the sincerity of his&nbsp;apology, saying:&nbsp;&quot;If Yameen is sincere, he would resign and face the the investigation, else people will not accept his apology.&quot;&nbsp;

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<h5>Maldives Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had questioned Yameen over the transfer of funds, amounting to USD 1 million, to his personal account in Islamic Bank of the Maldives.</h5>
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&nbsp;

Last year, an official audit report had revealed the USD 79 million corruption scandal in the state tourism promotion company, MMPRC, that involving President Yameen.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Maldives Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had questioned Yameen over the transfer of funds, amounting to USD 1 million, to his personal account in Islamic Bank of the Maldives. However, he denied any knowledge of such a transfer happening.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a recent documentary by Al Jazeera&rsquo;s award-winning investigative unit also claimed&nbsp;to expose $1.5 billion embezzlement in the Maldives. Stealing Paradise, the documentary, alleged that the President, apart from other government officials, were also&nbsp;involved in the scandal. &nbsp;President Yameen has been accused of &quot;receiving cash bags having $1 million&quot;. But the Maldivian government has dismissed the allegations insisting that Al Jazeera has failed to provide any evidence&nbsp;to substantiate the claims against President Yameen.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp;

Referring to the scam, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom said a necessary mechanism has now been put in place to avoid such scandals

A year after an official audit report exposed a USD 79 million corruption scandal in Maldives, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has apologised to the people of his country adding that he has now placed necessary mechanisms to avoid such scams. During his visit to the Fuvahmulah city on Monday night, Gayoom said: “Tonight I want to apologise because the MMPRC (Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation) scandal transpired in this regime." Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, leader of the Maldives United Opposition (MUO) and the first vice president under the Yameen government, however, questioned the sincerity of his apology, saying: "If Yameen is sincere, he would resign and face the the investigation, else people will not accept his apology." Maldives Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had questioned Yameen over the transfer of funds, amounting to USD 1 million, to his personal account in Islamic Bank of the Maldives. × Last year, an official audit report had revealed the USD 79 million corruption scandal in the state tourism promotion company, MMPRC, that involving President Yameen. Maldives Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had questioned Yameen over the transfer of funds, amounting to USD 1 million, to his personal account in Islamic Bank of the Maldives. However, he denied any knowledge of such a transfer happening. Meanwhile, a recent documentary by Al Jazeera’s award-winning investigative unit also claimed to expose $1.5 billion embezzlement in the Maldives. Stealing Paradise, the documentary, alleged that the President, apart from other government officials, were also involved in the scandal. President Yameen has been accused of "receiving cash bags having $1 million". But the Maldivian government has dismissed the allegations insisting that Al Jazeera has failed to provide any evidence to substantiate the claims against President Yameen. (WION)

MMPRC corruption scandal: Maldives President apologises to people for first time

At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), a Maldives delegation while debating on &#39;Advancement of Women&#39;, on Monday urged that it should be ensured&nbsp;that women are not&nbsp;treated as &#39;followers&#39; or merely &#39;beneficiaries&#39;, but as &#39;leaders&#39;, &#39;contributors&#39; and &#39;agents of change&#39;.

&nbsp;

The statement was delivered by the second secretary at the permanent mission of the Maldives to the United Nations, Zeena Mohamed Didi, where&nbsp;she highlighted the country&rsquo;s &quot;efforts towards achieving gender equality&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;Our policy to achieve gender equality is clear: continue to invest in girls and women, continue to give them the right tools to realise their true potential, and continue to introduce structural and normative changes to enable women to fight for their constitutionally guaranteed rights before the law. We believe that misinterpretation of tradition or religion is not a valid basis for discriminatory practices against women and girls.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

The statement also noted that the country&#39;s inclusive education policy guarantees that &quot;all girls have equal access to education&quot;, while the Employment Act guarantees that &quot;men and women have equal access to employment and equal pay for equal work&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;The government has set a goal to ensure that at least one-third of all the&nbsp;board members are women in the state-owned companies. At the national level, the government has also adopted measures to integrate gender perspectives in policy, planning, and budgeting.&quot;

&nbsp;

Despite the the country&#39;s achievements, the delegation said it is sharply conscious that four decades after&nbsp;the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and two decades after&nbsp;the adoption of the Beijing Declaration, the country has not been able to &quot;achieve a&nbsp;world where girls and women are able to fully enjoy their rights&quot;. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The statement noted that the recently enacted Gender Equality Act, &ldquo;which is a groundbreaking legislation in the country&#39;s history&rdquo;, sets out the role of the government, business entities, non-governmental organisations and other employers in the implementation of this Act, It also requires the state and political parties to ensure that equal opportunities exist for women and men to participate at all levels in political life. The Act seeks to ensure gender equality in all spheres of society and give full effect to the equal rights guaranteed by the Maldives&rsquo; Constitution.

&nbsp;

&quot;Investing in women today means investing in the future of the world. We need to accelerate our efforts, both domestically and at the international front to ensure that we are indeed, leaving no one behind,&quot; the statement by the delegation reads.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp;

A Maldives delegation at UN General Assembly highlighted that women should be looked upon as 'agents of change'

At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), a Maldives delegation while debating on 'Advancement of Women', on Monday urged that it should be ensured that women are not treated as 'followers' or merely 'beneficiaries', but as 'leaders', 'contributors' and 'agents of change'. The statement was delivered by the second secretary at the permanent mission of the Maldives to the United Nations, Zeena Mohamed Didi, where she highlighted the country’s "efforts towards achieving gender equality". “Our policy to achieve gender equality is clear: continue to invest in girls and women, continue to give them the right tools to realise their true potential, and continue to introduce structural and normative changes to enable women to fight for their constitutionally guaranteed rights before the law. We believe that misinterpretation of tradition or religion is not a valid basis for discriminatory practices against women and girls.” The statement also noted that the country's inclusive education policy guarantees that "all girls have equal access to education", while the Employment Act guarantees that "men and women have equal access to employment and equal pay for equal work". "The government has set a goal to ensure that at least one-third of all the board members are women in the state-owned companies. At the national level, the government has also adopted measures to integrate gender perspectives in policy, planning, and budgeting." Despite the the country's achievements, the delegation said it is sharply conscious that four decades after the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and two decades after the adoption of the Beijing Declaration, the country has not been able to "achieve a world where girls and women are able to fully enjoy their rights". The statement noted that the recently enacted Gender Equality Act, “which is a groundbreaking legislation in the country's history”, sets out the role of the government, business entities, non-governmental organisations and other employers in the implementation of this Act, It also requires the state and political parties to ensure that equal opportunities exist for women and men to participate at all levels in political life. The Act seeks to ensure gender equality in all spheres of society and give full effect to the equal rights guaranteed by the Maldives’ Constitution. "Investing in women today means investing in the future of the world. We need to accelerate our efforts, both domestically and at the international front to ensure that we are indeed, leaving no one behind," the statement by the delegation reads. (WION)

Maldives highlights efforts to achieve gender equality at UN

Opposition parties in Maldives, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) headed by the former president Mohamed Nasheed and the Adhaalath Party (AP), have agreed to engage in a political dialogue with the government after the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) placed Maldives on its formal agenda in its meeting on September 23.

The CMAG, comprising&nbsp;foreign ministers from nine member countries, saw a discussion on the political crisis in the south Asian country of the Maldives on Friday.

The Commonwealth&#39;s democracy watchdog expressed disappointment that a substantive dialogue had not been initiated to resolve the crisis that has seen long-term detention of political leaders and an environment of fear and intimidation in the island nation.

Both parties have insisted that one of the main aim of the political dialogue is to free jailed opposition leaders and they would push for it during the talks with the government.

Meanwhile, the government in a statement stressed on the &ldquo; the vital importance of all-parties initiating, and engaging in, dialogue without any pre-conditions&rdquo; following which the Adhaalath party said it is willing to participate in party talks as encouraged by the United Nations, CMAG, and other stakeholders.&nbsp;

On Sunday, the government had asked both the opposition parties to send the details of its representatives &ldquo;as they were the only parties that have not yet done so despite previous requests&rdquo;.

The parties, however, are yet to decide the representatives &nbsp;to take part in all-party talks with the government.

(WION)&nbsp;

The CMAG saw a discussion on the political crisis in Maldives last week

Opposition parties in Maldives, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) headed by the former president Mohamed Nasheed and the Adhaalath Party (AP), have agreed to engage in a political dialogue with the government after the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) placed Maldives on its formal agenda in its meeting on September 23. The CMAG, comprising foreign ministers from nine member countries, saw a discussion on the political crisis in the south Asian country of the Maldives on Friday. The Commonwealth's democracy watchdog expressed disappointment that a substantive dialogue had not been initiated to resolve the crisis that has seen long-term detention of political leaders and an environment of fear and intimidation in the island nation. Both parties have insisted that one of the main aim of the political dialogue is to free jailed opposition leaders and they would push for it during the talks with the government. Meanwhile, the government in a statement stressed on the “ the vital importance of all-parties initiating, and engaging in, dialogue without any pre-conditions” following which the Adhaalath party said it is willing to participate in party talks as encouraged by the United Nations, CMAG, and other stakeholders. On Sunday, the government had asked both the opposition parties to send the details of its representatives “as they were the only parties that have not yet done so despite previous requests”. The parties, however, are yet to decide the representatives to take part in all-party talks with the government. (WION)

Maldives government, opposition set for all-party talks?

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Umaima Rasheed Hussain

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Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.