A Gentle Approach to Mindful Healing

Together with a diverse range of professional volunteers we work to diminish the stigma around mental health disorders, drug addiction, domestic violence, abuse and trauma among women and girls in the Maldives.

We link women in need to professional counsellors and offer guidance navigating legal action within the framework of the law. Through our various activities in the islands we aim to educate and cultivate new skillsets for these women, empowering them to step out of their private darkness and find solace, support and belonging in our growing network of women.

Data from a 2014 UNFPA report shows that “1 in 3 women aged 15-49 have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. This includes intimate partner violence, violence by other people such as family members, work colleagues and strangers, as well as childhood sexual abuse. This report shows that women are most at risk of violence by their partners or ex-partners challenging the assumption that the home is always a safe place for women. The results of the Study also demonstrate, without any doubt, that violence against women is a major public health issue, impacting significantly on the physical, mental and reproductive health of women and girls. The health sector now has a responsibility to take a proactive role in responding to violence against women as they would any other health problem. Violence against women is also an educational, legal and social issue. The repercussions of such abuse extend further than just the immediate victims, also affecting women’s children, families, and society at large.”

– Extracted from 2014 UNFPA Maldives publication “The Maldives Study on Women’s Health and Life Experiences”