ARC is profoundly saddened by the passing of a 5-month old baby at the state-run children’s shelter Fiyavathi located in Hulhumale’, designated for children under 9 years of age. ARC calls for a thorough, independent, transparent and speedy conclusion of the investigation into the incident.
ARC therefore welcomes the Ministry of Gender and Family’s establishment of a panel to investigate this matter as well as the decision to invite the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives and Maldives Police Service to conduct independent and parallel investigation and hopes that the authorities will give full cooperation to the independent bodies to conduct their investigation. ARC believes that such independent investigations are important, given the general lack of scrutiny into incidents that take place in such shelters. ARC also calls upon the authorities to establish proper safety measures in all shelters, including trained staff and safety equipment, as well as take appropriate action, should the investigations find any wrongdoing or mismanagement.
ARC remains deeply concerned that shelters are extremely understaffed, with the added challenge of housing children over their capacity. Fiyavathi shelter that was opened on 17 February 2016 hosted 60 children as of June 2016, and now houses 86 children. ARC also takes this opportunity to call upon the authorities to strengthen the fostering system, so that children in need of alternative guardianship can be raised in conventional home environments than that provided by shelters.
Throughout the years, ARC has continuously stressed upon the importance of conducting thorough medical examinations of children who are placed in state-run shelters, as ARC’s assessment of shelters since 2010 found a number of children with certain medical conditions and children who require counseling and other treatments. ARC hopes that the Ministry of Gender and Family will place more emphasis on conducting routine medical examinations, as well as on sharing that information with care workers and supervisors, in order to ensure that children with medical conditions are provided with urgent, proper and special treatment and care necessary for their right to life, survival and development.
Furthermore, ARC welcomes steps being taken by the Ministry to strengthen the management of Fiyavathi in Hulhumale and Kudakudhinge Hiya in Villingili. ARC believes that the incident also conveys the urgency of further strengthening the health services available in-house and emergency preparedness, especially at Fiyavathi where children are younger.