CONTENTS Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... iv Preface ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ v 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Geography, Culture and Demography .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 Geography .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Culture ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Demography .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Births and Deaths ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Infant and Child Mortality ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Fertility ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Life Expectancy .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Marriage and Divorce ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 3. Growth with Equity .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Health Status ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Sexual and Reproductive Health Services .................................................................................................................................. 14 Nutrition ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Education ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Enrolment ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Educational Attainment ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Gender and the Legal System .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 4. Participation in Development ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 30 Household participation ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Economic participation ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Cultural and Community participation ............................................................................................................................................................. 38 Political participation ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39 5. Empowerment ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 6. Implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action ........................................................................................................... 44 7. Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................... 46 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 46 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 48 References ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 51 i List of Tables Table 1: Sex Ratio, 1977-1995` Table 2: Percentage Change in Infant and Child Death Rates, Republic Table 3: Infant Mortality Rate estimates 1985 –1995 Table 4: Life expectancy estimates 1985 – 1997 Table 5: Proportion of males and females by marital status and location (15- 24 years), 1995 Table 6: Extent of Stunting and Wasting in Maldives (Percentage of population in age group 1-5 years) Table 7: Literacy Rates by sex and location, 1977 – 1995 Table 8: Proportions of males and females enrolled in educational institutions by location: 1986 – 1998 Table 9: Proportion of males and females enrolled by level Table 10: Proportions of males and females with No Standard Passed by Age Group: 1985 - 1995 Table 11: Education Attainment Rates (per thousand) among 6 – 34 years by level, sex and location. Table 12: Education Attainment Rates (per thousand) among 6 – 34 years by level, sex and location. Table 13: Proportion of males and females attaining Higher Education (above first degree) 1977 – 1997 Table 14: Proportion of males and females undergoing post graduate studies, 1977 – 1997 Table 15: Proportion of males and females graduating from Tertiary Education Institutes in Male’ 1973 – 1997 Table 16: Number of Educational Institutions, 1986 – 1995 Table 17: Child –Woman Ratios, 1977 – 1995 Table 18: Proportion of employment in various industry classifications for Maldives. Table 19: Percentage shares of employment in selected occupational categories by sex and location. Table 20: Proportion of males and females employed by sector and sex Table 21: Percentage of men and women at senior levels within female dominated sectors in the government Table 22: Proportion of males and females at Senior Executive levels in the Government ii List of Figures Figure 1: Sex Ratio by age group, Republic 1977, 1995 Figure 2: Sex Ratio by age group, Male’ 1977, 1995 Figure 3: Sex Ratio by age group,