Elections Commission of the Maldives (EC) has revealed the constituencies reserved for women in the City Councils, in the upcoming Local Council Elections slated for April 2020.

While six seats have been allocated for women in the Malé City Council, four in southernmost Addu City and two in Fuvahmulah City, the reserved seats are as follows;

Constituencies in Malé City;

1. Malé City – 2

2. Malé City – 4

3. Malé City – 9

4. Malé City – 12

5. Malé City – 14

6. Malé City – 18

Constituencies in Addu City;

1. Addu City – 3

2. Addu City – 6

3. Addu City – 8

4. Addu City – 12

Constituencies in Fuvahmulah City;

1. Fuvahmulah City – 1

2. Fuvahmulah City – 4

Unlike previous years, the constituencies for the Local Council Elections 2020 will be marked with numbers.

EC allocated 12 seats for women in councils of the three cities in early December and it comes in line with the government’s decision to apportion 33 percent of council seats to women, as part of their work to ensure gender equality.

People’s Majlis passed to bring amendments to the decentralization of administrative divisions on 5 December. The amendments state that two seats will be allocated for every council comprising of five councilors and three seats for women for councils comprising of seven councilors.

Speaker of Parliament and Former President Mohamed Nasheed stated that the implementation of the bill will ensure councils are empowered, women in particular.