Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services, Shidhatha Shareef has asserted that the entire state must take responsibility for the disappearance of Shaim Abdulla, who went missing on 18 June while under state care.

Shidhatha said this while speaking at the Parliament sitting on Monday, where she was summoned for questioning.

Faresmaathodhaa MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef appealed to summon the minister for questioning. He questioned her on what her responsibility was in Shaim’s case and asked who must be held accountable for his disappearance.

Shidhatha responded that although the ministry must take some responsibility over Shaim’s disappearance, the entire state must in fact take responsibility.

As such, she said that the state must provide facilities for children coming from different backgrounds, families and ages.

Further, Shidhatha refuted allegations that she had shared “personal” information to the press. She stated that she had only shared relevant information like when the case was brought to the ministry’s attention and everything related.

She also said that she believes it was her responsibility to share sensitive information regarding the case in order to maintain accord following reports on social media. Highlighting that there were some reports of things she had never said during the press conference included in local media reports, Shidhatha urged to take into consideration, a possible bad impact it might have on the children when talking about them within media.

While police officers located the 14-year-old a little over 10 days later on 1 July, on 30 June Shidhatha had admitted that the ministry’s negligence had led to his disappearance.

Shaim’s case was first brought to the ministry’s attention in 2009.

Shidhatha was summoned to the parliament committee on human rights and gender, for disclosing sensitive details in the case. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was also briefed over the matter, during a cabinet meeting.