Child Labor in Maldives: Findings from the U.S. Department of Labor

Child Labor and Forced Labor Reports

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Maldives

2024 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor:

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Moderate Advancement

In 2024, Maldives made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government proposed a bill to curb gang-related activities and criminalize the recruitment of minors into criminal groups, with penalties ranging from 8 to 25 years of imprisonment and fines of up to about $650,000. The president also reconstituted the National Anti-Human Trafficking Steering Committee, shifting the committee's oversight from the Ministry of Defense to the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology to ensure a more coordinated approach to combating human trafficking. Furthermore, the National Action Plan on Prevention and Response to Violence Against Children (2024–2028) was released in September to protect children from violence, including illegal child labor in the travel and tourism sectors, by strengthening communities and integrating international child safeguarding standards in business. However, laws in Maldives do not sufficiently prohibit commercial sexual exploitation because the use, procurement, and offering of a child for pornographic performances are not criminally prohibited. The number of labor inspectors also significantly decreased from 52 in 2023 to 23 in 2024, and the Labor Relations Authority's funding decreased from $123,216 to $116,732. Finally, there were no criminal investigations conducted, prosecutions initiated, convictions achieved, or penalties imposed related to the worst forms of child labor in 2024.

**Statistics on Children's Work and Education**
Children	Age	Percent and Population
Working	5 to 14	3.9% (2,364)
Hazardous Work by Children	15 to 17	Unavailable
Attending School	5 to 14	79.5%
Combining Work and School	7 to 14	4.0%

**Overview of Children's Work by Sector and Activity**

Children in Maldives are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking, forced labor in domestic work, and use in illicit activities. Children also engage in child labor in domestic work.
Sector/Industry	Activity
Services	Domestic work.
Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡	Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Forced labor in domestic work. Use in illicit activities, including the trafficking of drugs.

‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

Children at Higher Risk

Children from neighboring countries like Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, are especially vulnerable to labor and sex trafficking in Maldives. Reports indicate that children from Bangladesh who enter Maldives on work visas or falsified passports have been targeted for labor trafficking. In addition, Maldivian children from sparsely populated atolls are also vulnerable to the worst forms of child labor. Children living in the outer islands often migrate to the capital city of Malé for better opportunities in education, sometimes without their parents. Reports indicate that children migrating for educational opportunities have been targeted by gangs to carry out illicit activities such as drug trafficking. Maldivian children from the outer islands are also brought to the capital for domestic work. Once in the capital, some of these children may be more vulnerable to labor or sex trafficking.

Barriers to Education Access

The right to free primary and secondary education is provided to all children in Maldives; however, there is a shortage of trained teachers and classrooms, as well as teachers and resources for students with disabilities. Although students with physical disabilities are integrated into mainstream educational programs at primary and secondary level, children with disabilities have virtually no access to support for transitioning to higher secondary education. Certain practices in schools, such as coeducational classrooms and music played in schools, are seen by some families as contrary to their religious beliefs, making it difficult for these children to attend school. Girls are less likely than boys to continue their education beyond primary school, increasing their risk for child labor.

**Laws and Regulations on Child Labor**

Maldives has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor. However, Maldives's laws do not meet international standards on the prohibition of commercial sexual exploitation of children because the use, procurement, and offering of a child for pornographic performances are not criminally prohibited. Maldives's laws on child trafficking also do not meet international standards because they require the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the crime of child trafficking to have occurred.
Standard	Age	Meets International Standards	Legislation
Minimum Age for Work	16	✓	Sections 6 and 12 of the Employment Act; Article 26 of the Child Rights Protection Act; Section 8 of the General Regulation on Child Rights Protection
Minimum Age for Hazardous Work	18	✓	Sections 7 and 12 of the Employment Act
Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children		✓	Section 10 of the General Regulation on Child Rights Protection
Prohibition of Slavery, Debt Bondage, and Forced Labor		✗	Section 3 of the Employment Act; Sections 10–14, 16–18, 21, and 25 of the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act; Sections 3–8 and 11 of the 2nd Amendment to the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act; Article 25 of the Constitution; Sections 26 and 122 of the Child Rights Protection Act
Prohibition of Child Trafficking		✗	Sections 10–14, 17–18, and 21 of the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act; Sections 3–8 and 11 of the 2nd Amendment to the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act
Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children		✗	Sections 17–19 of the Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sex Abuse Offenders; Sections 11 and 123 of the Child Rights Protection Act; Sections 13, 14, 17, 18, and 21 of the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act; Sections 4–8 and 11 of the 2nd Amendment to the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act
Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities		✓	Section 133(c)(1) of the Drugs Act; Article 122 of the Child Rights Protection Act
Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment	18	✓	Legislation title unknown
Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military		N/A
Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups		✗
Compulsory Education Age	16	✓	Article 36(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives; Article 14 of the Education Act; Section 21 of the Child Rights Protection Act
Free Public Education		✓	Article 36(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives; Article 5 of the Law on the Protection of the Rights of Children; Articles 17–20 of the Education Act

In 2024, the laws prohibiting forced labor in Maldives were not sufficient. They do not criminalize slavery. Laws prohibiting child trafficking are also insufficient because they require the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the crime of child trafficking to have occurred. Moreover, laws in Maldives do not sufficiently prohibit commercial sexual exploitation because the use, procurement, and offering of a child for pornographic performances are not criminally prohibited.

**Agencies Responsible for Child Labor Law Enforcement**

In 2024, labor and criminal law enforcement agencies in Maldives took actions to address child labor. However, insufficient financial resource allocation hindered enforcement efforts. Local NGOs have also reported that the Labor Relations Authority lacks the institutional independence from the Ministry of Economic Development to fulfill its mandate.
Organization/Agency \| Role & Activities
Labor Relations Authority, Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology: Conducts labor inspections and issues fines for violations in accordance with the Employment Act. All labor inspections look for child labor violations related to minimum age requirements, as well as forced labor and hazardous work, but there are no officers solely dedicated to child labor issues. If the Labor Relations Authority identifies a child employed in violation of child labor laws during inspections, a referral letter is sent via government intranet to the Child and Family Protection Service, which then takes over the case.
Maldives Police Service: Investigates complaints of child labor and commercial sexual exploitation with its Crimes Against Children Department and the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit. The police's Anti-Human Trafficking Department investigates human trafficking-related offenses and enforces laws prohibiting trafficking in persons, including cases of child trafficking.

**Enforcement Mechanisms and Efforts**
Overview of Enforcement Efforts	2024
Has a Labor Inspectorate	Yes
Able to Assess Civil Penalties	Yes
Routinely Conducted Worksite Inspections	Yes
Unannounced Inspections Permitted	Yes
Has a Complaint Mechanism	Yes
Imposed Penalties for Child Labor Violations	No
Conducted Criminal Investigations for Worst Forms of Child Labor Crimes	No
Imposed Penalties for Worst Forms of Child Labor Crimes	No

In 2024, 23 labor inspectors conducted 618 worksite inspections, finding 2 child labor violations. The government also conducted 2 investigations into suspected cases of the worst forms of child labor, initiated 0 prosecutions, and achieved 0 convictions.

**Key Mechanism to Coordinate Government Efforts on Child Labor**

Maldives established a mechanism to coordinate its efforts to address child labor. However, it lacks a coordination body to cover all forms of child labor in the country, including domestic service.
Coordinating Body \| Role & Activities
National Anti-Human Trafficking Steering Committee (NAHTSC): Composed of senior government officials and civil society organization representatives. NAHTSC is the lead interagency body responsible for coordinating the government's efforts to combat human trafficking and is responsible for organizing meetings and sharing information on human trafficking with its members. Supported by NAHTSC, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Office continues to implement actions, including interagency coordination, running a survivor's shelter, raising awareness, and other tasks related to addressing human trafficking issues in the Maldives. In accordance with Article 64 of the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, the NAHTSC is drafting a new National Action Plan for 2025 and developing a comprehensive 5-year Strategic Plan.

**Key Policies Related to Child Labor**

Maldives established a policy related to child labor. However, not all of the country's child labor issues are covered by the Anti-Human Trafficking National Action Plan, including the use of children in domestic work and drug trafficking.
Policy \| Description & Activities
Anti-Human Trafficking National Action Plan: Aims to address human trafficking, including of children, by creating institutions, coordinating activities, raising awareness, and building capacity. The Anti-Trafficking Office was drafting an updated version of the action plan for 2025 during the reporting period.
National Action Plan on Prevention and Response to Violence Against Children (2024–2028):* Seeks to protect children from child labor, online child pornography, and other forms of child exploitation and abuse, by strengthening communities. This includes promoting safer practices by aligning with international child safeguarding standards and enforcing national child protection laws. The plan also emphasizes the integration of these standards within businesses, particularly in the travel and tourism sector, to ensure that all children are protected from exploitation and unsafe labor conditions.

* Policy was approved during the reporting period.

**Key Social Programs to Address Child Labor**

Maldives funded and participated in programs that include the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. However, these social programs do not cover all worst forms of child labor in the country, including the use of children for commercial sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, or forced labor in domestic work.
Program \| Description & Activities
Family and Children Service Centers (FCSC):‡ Nineteen Ministry of Social and Family Development-operated centers that provide psychosocial support for child survivors of abuse and exploitation, four of which provide temporary shelter. These centers remained open during the reporting period.
Child Helpline (Number 1412):‡ A 24/7 toll-free hotline run by the Ministry of Social and Family Development to which cases of child exploitation and violations of the Employment Act can be reported. In 2024, the helpline received 2855 calls.
National Victim Support Hotline (Number 1696):‡ A 24-hour hotline dedicated to receiving reports of human trafficking and child labor operated by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Office. However, the hotline remained suspended due to a lack of dedicated staff in 2024.

‡ Program is funded by the Government of Maldives.

**Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor**

The suggested government actions below would close gaps USDOL has identified in Maldives's implementation of its international commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child labor.
Area	Suggested Action
Legal Framework	Ensure that laws prohibiting forced labor criminalize slavery.
	Criminally prohibit all forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children, including procuring, offering, and using children for pornographic performances.
	Criminally prohibit the recruitment of children under age 18 by non-state armed groups.
	Ensure that laws prohibiting child trafficking do not require the use of force, fraud, or coercion.
Enforcement	Employ sufficient labor inspectors and provide them with resources, including transportation, to conduct the adequate number of inspections in all sectors.
	Provide labor inspectors with training on child labor issues.
	Provide criminal investigators with sufficient resources, including transportation and an adequate number of staff, to investigate crimes related to the worst forms of child labor and to prosecute perpetrators.
	Ensure that law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and judges receive training on the appropriate handling of child labor, sex trafficking, and sexual abuse cases, as well as the proper application of the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act to cases.
	Ensure that the Labor Relations Authority has institutional independence from the Ministry of Economic Development to fulfill its mandate and is not subject to undue political influence.
	Investigate and prosecute government officials for their involvement in the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Coordination	Establish coordinating mechanisms to prevent and eliminate all of the worst forms of child labor, including the use of children for domestic work and drug trafficking.
Government Policies	Adopt a policy to address all relevant forms of child labor and forced child labor, including in domestic work and drug trafficking.
	Ensure that adequate standard operating procedures for victim identification and referral, as well as the provision of needed victim services, are developed and effectively implemented.
	Approve and implement an updated National Anti-Human Trafficking Action Plan.
Social Programs	Collect and publish data on the extent and nature of child labor to inform policies and programs.
	Improve access to secondary education, particularly for girls, by ensuring adequate resources and number of secondary schools. In addition, ensure an adequate number of teachers and classrooms for students with disabilities.
	Publish information about activities undertaken to implement social programs, including activities carried out by the Family and Children's Service Centers.
	Provide sufficient resources to programs that address the worst forms of child labor, including commercial sexual exploitation of children, use of children for drug trafficking, and forced labor in domestic work.
	Establish a dedicated permanent shelter for survivors of human trafficking.
	Increase the number of classrooms, trained teachers, and other resources, especially for students with disabilities, and improve the access of children with disabilities to higher secondary education.

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