The parliament’s human rights and gender committee has initiated efforts to declare child exploitation as a criminal offense in Maldives.

Committee chair and MP for Hinnavaru constituency, Jeehan Mahmood submitted the motion during a committee meeting on Wednesday.

Jeehan stressed that the pressing issue of child exploitation in the country requires a quick solution and sought opinions from the Attorney General’s office in the efforts to declare it a legitimate crime.

While all members at the meeting unanimously supported the motion, MP for Dhangethi constituency Mohamed Nazim stated that child exploitation through various crimes has become a norm among local gangs and stressed that it has gone to the extent where children are exploited through drug related crimes as well.

Nazim stated that the committee needs to act on the motion at the quickest.

Further, Jeehan proposed to speed up the process of three bills linked to children’s rights and forward them to the AG office altogether.

The three bills are:

· The bill to protect children’s rights,

· The bill on justice for children and

· The bill on children’s education

Committee member and MP for Meedhoo constituency, Rozaina Adam suggested to submit a resolution to the parliament, seeking public awareness on said issues. This was backed by MP for south-Fuvahmulah constituency Mohamed Mumthaz.

While the committee has begun work to make child exploitation a crime, children’s involvement in theft and drug trafficking cases has become common in the society. It has become commonplace for individuals to use children for their advantage in illegal doings as well as activities that are detrimental to their mental growth as well as education. The committee revealed that their motive is to bring influencers and persuaders of such crimes to justice and take strict measures on them.

In May this year, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had assured the people that the government prioritizes enacting child protection laws and as such, is working to improve the system.

Also at the meeting, the committee began work to ban sports activities and events from promoting local gangs. Submitting the proposal, Dhangethi MP Nazim said that issues relating local gangs also pave way for easier child exploitation and makes it easier to involve children in criminal activity.

He stated that representing gangs in any sporting event, be it through school activities or even national tournaments, must be banned.

North-Maafannu MP Imthiyaz Fahmy had backed the motion, stressing that although these is a law against gang-related crimes, several notorious gangs continue to participate in tournaments and sports activities after registering as recreational clubs.

This in turn creates an obstacle in taking action against them, said Fahmy, adding that this issue requires a quick solution as well.

MP Fahmy went on to seek the committee to summon official from the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and work with them to recognize such communities that register in sporting events as recreational clubs in order to take action against them.

MP Rozaina backed this suggestion, having stated that local gangs operating while in disguise must be stopped.

The committee agreed to let the parliament’s social committee to take part in the meeting, which may be held behind closed doors.

Regarding the motion, MP for Nilandhoo constituency, Abdul Muhsin Hameed said that sports clubs are required to be registered after the sports act came into being in 2015. As such, Hameed stated that a solution for the issue may be brought during the registration process.

The motion is to be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment in order to seek appropriate action.