03rd May 2011, Male', While there was no institutional discrimination of women in the Maldives, the challenges they faced was the low level of representation at decision making levels both in the private and public sector and immediate steps by the Government was necessary to address these issues, said Ms. Thilmeeza Hussain, Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of the Maldives to the United Nations.
Speaking at the 29th Conference on Women's Studies at the State University of New York at New Paltz, Ms. Hussain gave a presentation highlighting the plight of women in the Maldives and the unique challenges facing the country due to climate change.
The Conference on Women's Studies brought together scholars, activists and artists to consider women's interaction with Earth. It also explored ways the degradation of the planet was affecting women and girls, and examined the harmful practices to the environment and how women were forging new ways to live with Earth.
The main focus of the Conference was the panel discussion held between Ms. Beverly Naidus, Associate Professor at the Interdisciplinary Arts at the University of Washington, Ms. Joni Seager, Professor of Global Studies at Bentley College in Boston, and Ms. Karen Washington, President of the New York City Community Garden Coalition.
Further discussions were held at the Conference, including reviewing the work of women contributors to the environment, as well discussions to address women's involvement in movements against hydrotracking and other environmental threats, green construction and community sustainable agriculture, and women's efforts to gain food security throughout the world.
ENDS.