Ministry of Health bans disclosure of children’s personal information in abuse cases

The Ministry of Health announced today that no information should be made public in any case of sexual abuse involving children, in a manner that would harm the reputation of any child. The ministry stated that it issued this directive to stop the disclosure of children’s personal information across various media platforms and to protect the interests of the child. The statement noted that the Constitution contains provisions regarding special protection for children, stating that the family, society, and the state are required to provide assistance to children. The ministry also reminded that laws have been enacted in accordance with international treaties to which the Maldives is a party, including the Law on the Protection of Children’s Rights. Under this law, children accused of crimes, children who are victims of crimes, and all children requiring protection are included. According to the ministry, no personal information of these children should be disclosed in a manner that would cause any harm to their reputation. The Ministry of Health stated that personal information such as the names of children, their addresses, information about where they receive education, or any other information that could identify a child, or images of these children, should not be published in any media. These measures are established to safeguard the best interests of the children. The Ministry of Health highlighted that disclosing a child’s information to influence public opinion or for any other purpose constitutes an infringement of rights. Concluding the statement, the ministry reminded that protecting children’s rights is a significant legal responsibility borne by the entire society, and directed that no such information be made public by any party in any media platform. The Ministry of Health’s statement did not specify which particular case this refers to. However, it appears that this statement was issued in connection with posts circulating on social media in the case of former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, which have spread statements that could harm the child’s reputation.