Emigration Facts &figures 4 https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/mp_maldives_2018.pdf 3 Ibid. 2 https://www.ifes.org/sites/default/files/ifes_maldives_parliamentary_elections_faqs_april_2019.pdf 1 MaldivianCitizenshipAct Law No. 1/95, https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/58d3c59b4.pdf % ofemigrants in total population Terminology: Inthe2014 census, Maldivians. thegovernment referred to theirdiaspora as‘non-resident’ Remittances inflow(USD billion): 4 Remittances asashareofGDP: 0.1 The doesnothaveadiaspora engagement policy. MALDIVES Diaspora engagementmapping % ofwhich in theEU % At embassies/consulates South Africa Top countries ofdestination Political rights Voting fromabroad Dual citizenship for citizensresidingabroad Right tovote innationalelections 3 : 1 95 194 402 645 1,409 4

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7 ”, (2018) ”, Trends Trends a challenge them is engaging Given the relativelyof Maldivians living abroad, low number the Maldivian government. has not been a priority As for engagement diaspora and therefore returnthe emigrated result,who a Maldivians of encourage thereto schemes no been have areemployment, seeking those mainly migrants Maldivian asylum and abroad. students in the country of degree-level The shortage programs has compelled seekers/refugees. seek their degree to levels degree study to and postgraduate Maldivians who wish to abroad on Maldivian students studying There collected is no data university education abroad. people were identified 5589 Census, the 2014 to have returned.and whether they According year). 1 at least for live abroad to living or intending as “non-resident” Maldivians (citizens The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not collect data on the Maldivian diaspora. There diaspora. Maldivian the on data collect not does MinistryThe Lack of data: Affairs Foreign of the various analysis and exchange among collection, in data capacityis limited and collaboration and CBN - PISCES, The three- XPAT, in Maldives. databases migration manage that organizations Records them. created developers as different are not integrated by Maldives Immigration managed created. was Immigration when Maldives 2013, since are also only available Low priority:Low challenge.a is them Neither There areengaging and very abroad living Maldivians few policy for an active diaspora to contributing can prioritise the Maldives, nor destination countries Maldivian which houses almost 50% of the such a small partSri Lanka, of their population. Even in population. of the foreign Maldivians represent only 3.5% diaspora, The diaspora seldom self-report to an embassy and thus there is limited contact an embassy and thus there contact to is limited seldom self-report The diaspora Limited contact: between them and their home country. included a policy on boosting the training of the labour force of the labour force a policy included Development Plan National the training on boosting Seventh development. sectoral strategy The first to was under this policy for and training education through Ministry The and training. education of Higher for maximise fellowships of overseas the utilisation students encourage to and loans on their website of scholarships a range listed has since Education up. of these have been taken studies, and 85 or postgraduate either undergraduate for abroad go to study abroad. its students to encouraging This shows the government Migration in Maldives: A Country Profile 2018 A Country Profile in Maldives: Migration • • •

Obstacles Overview policy of the framework and legislative • national arena. The framework suggests that, host, do this, Maldives should seek to to suggests in order national arena. The framework both in the dialogues designed to frequent seminars/workshops/interactive Maldives and in their missions abroad, states. vulnerable/frontline climate for advocacy change on climate Maldives’ promote 5 https://mohe.gov.mv/scholarship-loan 2018 A Country Profile in Maldives: 6 Migration 7 IOM, “ 2015 Policy Framework Change Maldives Climate advocacy negotiations climate at capacityis leading and building framework the of targets key the of One nationwide as well as in the inter advocacy and awareness change by inculcating climate cross-sectorally effective practices effective SPOTLIGHT: • • •

& ADVOCACY & CLIMATE CHANGE CHANGE CLIMATE

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REPUBLIC OF THE MALDIVES but hasbeeninvolvedinseveral projects ontheground. diaspora andMaldiviansontheground. Theorganisation hasnotproduced ordata onmigration, reports volunteer-runA non-profit, humanitarian organisation withthe governing board havingamixofMaldivian Maldivian Red Crescent 2009 services. victim support inadditionto migration managementbeen involvedinlabourmanagement, andanti-humantrafficking immigration andemigration, labour, maritimeandlandtransport sectors. Since hasalso 2014, theMinistry formulates economic andregulates andtradeThe Ministry policies.Itpromotes trade andinvestment, ofEconomic Development1979 Ministry • • staff memberbasedinMaléandithasworked withthe government to promote safe migration. Maldives becameamemberstate ofIOMin2011 andIOMestablished itsoffice inMalé 2013. IOMhasone International Organisationfor Migration 2013 Diaspora relatedinstitutions List ofActors Annex: July 2020 Edited by:EUDiF ofSingapore University Written by:Ronojoy Sen, donations. and theinternational atlarge community to provide monetary to helpMaldivesovercome theCovid-19 Theappeal callsuponMaldivianfamilies pandemic. livingabroad ations/communities across MSAUK the world. On behalf of IMSA, has helped organise a fundraising appeal International Maldivian Students Association (IMSA) isaninformal collective ofMaldivianstudentsassoci- education,usually takenacademic qualifications attheagesrespectively). The of16and18 for secondary sittingforstudents inMaldiveswhoare theirGCSE(formerly ‘O’ level) andA-level (British examinations to bringtogether MaldivianstudentsintheUK.Theassociationalsoconducts workshops andsessionsfor A non-profit theMaldivianstudentsinUK. Thegrouprepresents studentassociationthat hosts events Maldivian Students’AssociationUK(MSAUK) 2015 Diaspora organisationsinEurope • • Integration activities Development activities National institutions At regional level { { { { At locallevel At ministerial level Find out more atwww.diasporadevelopment.eu

REPUBLIC OF THE MALDIVES