Domestic violence shelter in Addu to be completed next year, services to begin in January

The Ministry of Health, Family and Social Services has announced that the domestic violence (DV) shelter being established in Addu will be completed and operational by January next year. Speaking at the Human Rights and Gender Committee of the Parliament, the Ministry's Lead Social Protection Officer Akram Hussain said the shelter is part of a plan to set up three DV shelters across the Maldives. Work on the Addu shelter began last December. Under the same project, funded with ADB assistance, shelters are also being built in Hulhumale and Ungoofaaru. State Minister for Social Services Zeenaz Adnan highlighted various programmes implemented last year to empower women and provide assistance to those in need. The Ministry also shared statistics on cases reported in 2025: over 1,800 cases involving children under 18, including 961 cases of harm to girls and 904 cases involving boys. Additionally, 711 domestic violence cases were reported, of which 548 involved women and 163 involved men. The Ministry also revealed that 14 children were placed in foster families and 22 children were reunified with their families through the 'Every Child a Family' programme last year.