Government Increases Salaries for Women’s Development Committee Leaders Across Maldives

The Maldivian government has implemented a sweeping overhaul of the compensation structure for Women’s Development Committees (WDCs), reclassifying committee presidents as full-time workers and introducing significant salary increases across cities and islands. Established under the Decentralisation Act, WDCs are elected to five-year terms on every island to advocate for women's empowerment and provide essential counsel to local councils on community development. Historically, low remuneration has been a persistent challenge for these leaders, a gap the new framework aims to close. Under the revised pay scale, city committee presidents will see their monthly earnings, including allowances, surge to USD 2,141.76, up from USD 454.61. Island committee presidents will see their monthly pay rise to USD 1,362.53, compared to the previous USD 389.22. Salary adjustments also extend to subordinate roles. City committee vice presidents will now earn USD 454.61, while island vice presidents will receive USD 389.22. Similarly, monthly compensation for city members has increased to USD 389.22, and island members to USD 324.83. Mohamed Nimal, CEO of the Local Government Authority, described these adjustments as a historic transformation for the committees as local councils enter their fifth term. Nimal stated that the changes reflect a genuine appreciation for the work these women perform and align with the promises made by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. To further strengthen the institutional capacity of WDCs, the government has introduced two critical structural shifts ahead of the annual budget presentation. First, the proportion of the local council budget allocated to these committees has been doubled from 5 per cent to 10 per cent. Second, the Ramadan allowance for members will now be funded directly through the broader council budget rather than being drawn from the committees' own limited funds. These policy adjustments are designed to provide both financial stability and increased motivation for women leading community development efforts across the archipelago.