Decentralization Act in Maldives

Sunday 8th of December 2019

Decentralization Act in Maldives

Major changes have been brought to the Maldives’ decentralization act including women’s participation in development affairs.

The four changes: Fiscal Devolution, autonomy over natural and economic resources, decentralized access to government services and assuring women’s participation in developmental affairs.

On 5th December, the parliament passed the Decentralization Act with provisions to allocate 33% of local council seats for women. The bill was submitted by Hulhumale MP and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Ali Niyaz and was approved by 76 MPs. During Thursday's parliament sitting, a bill on amendment to the Decentralization Act was passed, that increased the term of local councils from three to five years, and requires at least five councilors to be appointed. Mohamed Nasheed said local councils are now empowered with authority to handle the budgets allocated to them, and that he believes a true decentralized government has now been established with the clause that requires one third of councils to be occupied by women.