Khadeeja Hamid
St. Lawrence University
Davis Projects for Peace 2011
February 10, 2011
EMPOWERING YOUNG GIRLS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
I propose to hold a weeklong educational and interactive workshop that aims to create a conducive environment for 25 young girls,
between the ages 18 – 24 years in Faafu Biledhdhoo (in the Central Province of the Maldives), where they will learn about issues
pertaining to violence against women and empower themselves to break a vicious cycle of violence.
BACKGROUND: The Maldives is an island nation consisting of 1190 islands (of which only 200 are inhabited) and a population of
309000. Despite being a small country with a thriving tourism industry and one of the highest GDP per capita in the South Asian region,
the Maldives still lags when it comes to development indicators such as accessibility to sufficient education, healthcare and other social
services. Part of the development challenge of the Maldives is the scattered nature of its geography and the lack of a cost-effective
transportion network providing easy accessibility from one part of the country to the other. Over the years, this has resulted in a major
influx of people from the islands to the capital city: Male’, leaving the people in the islands even more marginalized and vulnerable.
For a small country, the prevalence of violence against women (VAW) in the Maldives is also shocking. In a recent study
(which also happens to be the first nationwide study of gender-based violence [GBV] in the country) published by the Ministry of
Gender and Family, one in three women between the ages 15-49 reported experiencing at least one form of physical or sexual violence
or both, and one in nine women reported experiencing severe acts of violence such as being punched, kicked, choked, burnt or having
a weapon used against them. 1 The statistics and the cases mentioned in the study are appalling; however, what is even more
disturbing is the fact that there is a general acceptance of VAW amongst both men and women as “normal” and “justified.”2 Even
though men are to be blamed for the actual act of violence, a closer look at the socio-political institutions and widespread beliefs and
practices of Maldivians demonstrates that, more than anything, it is a general lack of awareness and education amongst both men and
women that allows for the continuation of such violence, which often times ends up becoming a vicious cycle.
Women in the islands, with fewer educational and employment opportunities, are especially susceptible to fall victim to this
cycle. The lack of opportunities for advancement, combined with predominantly patriarchal societal beliefs and practices, leaves
women vulnerable to violence and without the education or support structures through which to identify VAW and act against it.
NEED FOR PROJECT: While effective tackling of this issue will require major institutional and legislative reforms, there is much work
that needs to be done at an individual level in terms of educating, raising awareness and empowering. It is evident that a more holistic
approach to empowerment is necessary.
This proposed one-week workshop will adopt a wholesome approach to empowerment by targeting girls at a young age;
raising awareness and consciousness of issues pertaining to being a woman in the Maldives; and educating about VAW and inspiring
and equipping young girls with the skills and tools to search for and pursue educational, social and political opportunities that would
allow them to be more independent.
Even though this proposed workshop is guided by the core philosophy that true empowerment could come only from within, it
does not undermine the challenges posed by material realities. Thus, along with teaching young girls how to value themselves and
raising awareness, emphasis will also be put on delivering practical skills that will pave a better future for these girls.
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION: This project will be implemented between the months of May - July. While the actual workshops will take
place only in July, the process of publicizing the workshop opportunity, the development of materials and the arrangement of the
necessary logistics will begin as early as May (see below for a more detailed project timeline).
The workshops will be conducted in the island of Faafu Biledhdhoo in the Central Province of the Maldives. Young girls,
between the ages of 18 – 24 years from the five inhabited islands of Faafu Atoll will be invited to apply to participate in the workshop. A
total of 25 participants will be admitted. The workshop opportunity will be appropriately advertised in the Atoll, and potential participants
will be identified and approached via registered NGOs and other contact person(s) in the islands. Any woman living in Faafu Atoll within
the specified age group will be eligible for participation, and preference will be given to women who have not participated in any
previous workshops of this type.
The workshop will be conducted during the third week of July. Over the course of the week-long workshop, participants will
have an opportunity to learn about issues of VAW and engage in activities that will build self-confidence. Some of the topics that will be
covered during the workshop include: what is violence against women and how to identify and prevent it, support systems available for
victims of violence, women’s reproductive health, the legal rights of a woman in the Maldives, the importance of forming alliances and
network groups, and self-care. Information sessions will be held on the various higher education opportunities available for women in
the Maldives and also ways in which women could get socially and politically involved. In addition, there will be sessions on various
Emma Fulu, The Maldives Study on Women’s Health and Life Experiences: Initial Results on Prevalence, Health Outcomes and Women’s Responses to Violence (Male’: Ministry of
Gender and Family, vi.
2 70% of Maldivian women believe that there are justified circumstances (such as infidelity, disobedience, etc.) when a man is justified in beating his wife. Azra Naseem, “ Domestic
violence accepted and justified in the Maldives, says report,” Minivan News Online, October 20th, 2010, http://minivannews.com/politics/domestic-violence-accepted-and-justified-in-themaldives-says-report-12500.
1
important life skills such as time management, effective communication skills, etc. The time in the evening(s) will be utilized for sports,
creative recreational activities such as poetry reading, dancing, acting and singing.
Month
Project Time Line
MAY
Task(s)
Week 04: Reach out to the NGOs and contact persons in the atoll to publicize and generate interest about the
workshop opportunity.
Week 01: Get a final confirmation from volunteers on their commitment. Orient volunteers to the project and brainstorm
on activities and programs.
JUNE
Week 02: Start the process of creating educational materials for the workshop. Finalize the agenda and the different
sessions that will be conducted.
Week 03: Start creating materials and finalize the content of each and every activity and session.
Week 01: Finalize the list of participants. Book the venue for workshop. Book boat operator for transport within, to and
from the atoll. Book accommodation on location for workshop volunteers and participants and finalize food
arrangements for workshop volunteers and participants.
Week 02: Finalize all the logistics, participants and workshop materials. Volunteers travel to Faafu Biledhdhoo
JULY
July 15th: Participants travel to Faafu Biledhdhoo.
July 16th – July 21st: Workshop.
July 21st (evening): Awarding of certificate and closing ceremony
July 22nd: Participants travel back to their islands.
July 23rd: Volunteers travel back to Male’.
COLLABORATIONS: In order to deliver the most effective workshop possible and ensure the sustainability of the project, I will be
collaborating with a number of different organizations and individuals at a national, atoll and island level.
The primary collaborator in this project will be Maldives Network for Violence Against Women (MNVAW). MNVAW is a
network that developed as a result of the passing of the “Charter on the Violence Against Women Post Tsunami” in Sri-Lanka, where
nations that participated recognized the need for and supported the formation of a network for VAW within and amongst countries. In
the Maldives, the network consists of seven different NGOs working in the country. Even though MNVAW is not a registered NGO yet,
they have already conducted a round of workshops to educate and raise awareness about violence against women. I will be utilizing
the expertise of the members of MNVAW and using their training manuals to create the materials for the workshop. I have been in
touch with Executive Board member of MNVAW, Ms. Fathimath Afiya, regarding this.
Maldivian women’s rights activists Ms. Ilham Mohamed, Ms. Shaadiya Ibrahim and Ms. Humaida Abdulghafoor have
expressed their interest in working with this project as volunteer workshop facilitators. All three of them are involved with the Thinakun
Ekeh (three in one) Anti-Domestic Violence campaign launched to advocate for the passing of the first domestic violence bill in the
Maldives. Apart from facilitating the workshops, Ms. Mohamed, Ms. Ibrahim and Ms. Abdulghafoor will also advise me on the process
of designing and creating the content of the workshop.
At a local level, I will be utilizing the assistance of local NGO of Faafu Biledhdhoo, Isdharivarunge Jamiyya, to arrange
logistics within the island and atoll.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND FUTURE IMPACT: Through this workshop, participants will gain valuable knowledge about the issue of
VAW in the Maldives and will be empowered to acknowledge its widespread prevalence in the country. The session on a woman’s
body and reproductive health will allow participants to take a sense of pride in their womanliness and to take care of themselves and
not tolerate anyone mistreating them or any other woman. By allowing for space for discussions about opportunities for women in
education and in the social and political arena, the young women will be inspired to dream big and pursue a path that will allow them to
be independent and strong. After the workshops, the participants will be introduced to a network of organizations, institutions and
individuals who are working for the promotion of women’s rights in the Maldives. It is hoped that even after the workshops, participants
will be vocal about these issues and will continue to advocate against GBV through and with the assistance of these networks. In the
long run, this will put more pressure on the government to push for the necessary institutional and legislative reforms that will make a
huge difference when it comes to GBV. Also, when the women return to their islands, they could act as volunteers; share the
knowledge they gained with their peers; and serve as strong role models for women younger than them.
The materials developed for the purposes of this workshop will be compiled into a comprehensive booklet, which will be
shared with all the collaborating organizations and individuals and available for reference in the future.