State More Likely to Neglect Boys’ Rights’ Cases, While Girls Suffer Higher Abuse Rates, Data Suggests 

Two separate 2025 datasets show a distinct gender split in Maldivian child rights cases, suggesting that boys more often suffer from state negligence while girls are overwhelmingly the primary victims of reported abuse. 

According to the Children’s Ombudsperson’s Office annual report, the majority of cases involving alleged negligence by state institutions were linked to male children, particularly in categories such as basic rights infringements, lack of institutional cooperation in family matters, and failures in protecting children under state care.

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In contrast, Ministry data for 2025 shows a higher overall number of child abuse cases involving girls, with 748 reported cases concerning female children compared to 547 cases involving male children — a difference of around 200 cases.

The combined figures suggest a divergence in case patterns across different types of child protection concerns, with boys more commonly represented in complaints relating to alleged state institutional negligence, while girls account for a larger share of reported abuse cases. The comparison may suggest that government institutions overlook the security and protection needs cases involving a male child. 

The Children’s Ombudsperson’s Office said it received a total of 42 child rights-related complaints in 2025, of which 28 were formally registered and investigated, while 14 were closed after preliminary assessment.

The largest category of complaints involved alleged infringement of a child’s basic rights due to negligence by a state institution, with 10 cases recorded. This was followed by four cases linked to lack of cooperation from state bodies in family-related matters, and smaller numbers across categories involving psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and state care oversight.

No cases were recorded under negligence involving physical abuse, while one case was recorded involving failure to act in a situation where a child at risk of offending required intervention.

The report also recorded four cases involving non-local children, including three from Syria and one from India.

In terms of reporting sources, 20 cases were initiated by individuals and 20 were opened by the Ombudsperson’s Office itself, while one case each came from a whistleblower and a law firm. No cases were referred by NGOs or state institutions.

The report did not specify which government institutions contributed to the negligence, a fact which outlines the continued role of state institutions in child protection-related complaints, with a significant proportion of cases linked to alleged institutional negligence or lack of cooperation.

Authorities maintain several dedicated channels for reporting child protection concerns in the Maldives, depending on the nature of the case. 

• Child Helpline (1412) under the Ministry of Social and Family Development serves as the primary 24/7 toll-free service for reporting child abuse, neglect, or situations where children require protection. 
• The Children’s Ombudsperson’s Office (3009990) handles complaints involving alleged state negligence by institutions such as schools, hospitals, police, or government agencies, with additional reporting available via its online portal or email. 
• For emergencies or criminal matters, the Maldives Police Service can be contacted through 119 or 3322111, including cases handled by its Family and Child Protection Department. 
• The Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence Helpline (1411) also receives reports where children are affected by abusive household environments.