Supporting Vulnerable Communities in Maldives to Manage Climate Change-Induced Water Shortages Maldives

The report assesses gender inequality in the Maldives, highlighting disparities in political representation, labor force participation, and resource access. It specifically examines how water scarcity disproportionately affects women due to their domestic roles and proposes a gender-responsive project design that targets female-headed households and utilizes women's development committees to ensure equitable water service delivery.

• Women in the Maldives are significantly under-represented in political and decision-making roles, holding only 6 per cent of seats in the national parliament and local councilor positions, and 2 of 15 Cabinet positions.
• Gender gaps persist in the labor market, with a female unemployment rate of 31% in 2010 and a labor force participation rate of 55 percent for women over 15, compared to 76 percent for men.
• Female-headed households are prevalent in the Maldives due to high male migration for work, and one in three such households in the atolls lives below the national poverty line.
• Gender-based violence is a significant issue, with estimates indicating that one in three Maldivian women aged 15-29 experienced physical or sexual violence at least once.
• Water scarcity and the collection of water from public taps and wells place a slightly higher burden of responsibility on women, which impacts their time available for education and economic activities.
• Women are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of polluted groundwater due to their roles in cooking, washing, and childcare, frequently reporting skin irritations and infections.
• The project intends to implement gender-responsive strategies, including identifying female-headed households as beneficiaries, demanding equal participation of women in meetings, and using women’s development committees to voice specific needs.

APA

Green Climate Fund (n.d.). Supporting Vulnerable Communities in Maldives to Manage Climate Change-Induced Water Shortages Maldives. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/gender-assessment-fp007-undp-maldives.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Supporting Vulnerable Communities in Maldives to Manage Climate Change-Induced Water Shortages Maldives. n.d. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/gender-assessment-fp007-undp-maldives.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Supporting Vulnerable Communities in Maldives to Manage Climate Change-Induced Water Shortages Maldives |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/gender-assessment-fp007-undp-maldives.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefundndsupporting, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Supporting Vulnerable Communities in Maldives to Manage Climate Change-Induced Water Shortages Maldives}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/gender-assessment-fp007-undp-maldives.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }