Maldives Update: February 20, 2007.

The Gender Ministry conducted a Study on Women’s Health and Life Experiences and has reported that Maldivian women suffer disturbingly high levels of violence and have little protection from it.
Farah Faizal, Letter On Police Violence Against Women, Minivan News, February 19, 2007.
Copies of the report are not as yet available online. It may be noted that a few weeks ago the Maldivian Gender Minister was taken to task for the constitutional bar on women holding high office in the Maldives.

Will Jordan, Four Resign In Row Over Veils And Beards, Minivan News, February 19, 2007.

Following the Sri Lankan President's visit, Maldives also had the Indian Army chief calling. The Coast Guard vessel used in the Addu Boat Crisis was an Indian gift, regular readers of Subcontinent South may recall.

Meanwhile, some good news: tsunami disaster management programme in Maldives has seen greater participation from women in its community-based vulnerability assessments.
Gender equity in tsunami recovery, Relief Web.

This year's World Press Freedom Day may witness the liberation of Maldivian media with The Ministry of Information announcing that it will allow private broadcasting by May 3, 2007.

There were talks between the government party, the Dhivehi Rayyihtunge Party (DRP) and the Maldivian Democratic Party earlier. On the street, arrests continue, and the MDP prepares for elections.