President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that the reason for the increase in child sexual assault cases is due to systemic negligence.

The president said this while addressing this year’s inaugural sitting of the People’s Majlis, on Monday morning, where he highlighted the case of a toddler- just one year and nine months old- being raped by her grandfather and great grandfather that emerged last month.

He said that the reason for this is due to negligence from some institutions; police said that the child’s grandfather, despite child sexual assault allegations, was not in custody “due to old age.”

Noting that the increase in child sexual abuse cases is due to negligence of some institutions, Solih said that “there are a number of child sexual assault cases pending, since 2012.”

Furthermore, President Solih said that the recently passed and ratified Child Protection Act will be implemented on February, adding that “this will strengthen the work.”

He highlighted that this law was passed “after 20 years of discussions by previous governments.”

While there have recently been reports of parents refusing to vaccinate their kids and provide them education, Solih stressed that this law required parents to do so among other things. This Act states that it is the parents responsibility to ensure that their child receives medical services including administering required vaccinations, and that the parents do not have the right to refuse this.

The case of the toddler had sparked a public outrage across the country, with calls for the immediate resignation of the gender minister.