Minister of Gender and Family, Zenysha Shaheed Zaki has said that although 45% out of employed citizens are women, that they 'still face various obstacles in reaching senior posts'.

She made the statement at the awarding ceremony of the ‘Beginners Electrician Workshop for Women’, an initiative by State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) to empower women in the society; she was the chief guest at the ceremony.

The minister said that the current administration 'gives priority to work that empower women' in the society.

However, she noted that some individuals of the society 'believe that particular areas can only be led by men' and emphasized that this is 'a very concerning' matter.

She said that while 'work concerning electricity is deemed inadequate for women', that 'a limited number of women' are seen working in such fields. She added that this is an issue that will stir negative impact within society.

Additionally, Zenysha highlighted that women who hold senior posts in the Maldives 'are still scarce and that obstacles still arise for women aspiring for higher positions'.

150 participants had been awarded certificates for completing the course Beginners Electrician Workshop for Women at the ceremony. 

This initiation by STELCO in February, is a series of courses and eight batches have completed the course thus far.