More women working on the frontlines and at home post-Covid: Gender Minister

Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services Aishath Mohamed Didi has recognized the invaluable efforts being made by women leading frontline efforts against Covid-19 over the past year.

Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi made the remarks while speaking at parliament on Monday, where she presented a speech to commemorate International Women's Day 2021 (IWD 2021). In her speech, the minsiter noted the importance of reflecting on the theme for IWD 2021, which is "Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world".

Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi said that the theme was especially fitting in a Maldivian context, as the island nation faced familiar obstacles in patriarchal oppressions and glass ceilings, that prevented women from being active and vocal community leaders. She added that these systems were being maintained by age-old cultures and traditions that denied women economic and social autonomy, and discriminated against them.

The Minister added that once women given equal opportunities in shaping the future of the nation within an equitable and democratic system of leadership, the result would show in the development of safe, sustainable and peaceful communities.

With pride and genuine joy, Gender Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi noted the exceptional women leading Maldives' Covid-29 response efforts on the frontlines. She highlighted that the Director General of Public Health and other top-level leaders of the Health Protection Agency (HPA) were women, and remarked on the invaluable efforts being made by women doctors, nurses and those in Rapid Response Teams working to sustain effective pandemic response efforts across Maldives.

The Gender Minister also acknowledged the essential services being provided by WAMCO employees during the pandemic, and recognized that they too were on the frontlines during the time citizens needed it most.

Minister of Gender Aishath Mohamed Didi also noted that following the pandemic, women entrepreneurs had been working from home to sustain the economy en masse. In addition to this, she recognized the efforts being made by mothers, sisters and women educators in ensuring that children received effective learning opportunities despite the difficulties presented by Covid-19.

In her speech, the Minister highlighted that small and middle-income businesses had been hardest hit by the pandemic. She expressed that women innovators had risen to the challenge swimmingly to ensure their businesses remained in operation, and helped maintain income flow across the country during the economic downturn caused by Covid-19.