Country profile MDV
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2020 | C138 & C182 | General Regulation on Child Rights Protection (R-70/2020) | [{"link_name":"CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/normlex-permalink/comment/en/4341884"}] | Yes | 7 | C138 and C182 require the national determination of a list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The competent authorities should consult with workers' and employers' organizations to determine what types of employment or work are considered to be hazardous. Such a list shall be periodically examined and revised as necessary. | The Maldives has adopted a comprehensive list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 under Section 10 of the General Regulation on Child Rights Protection (R-70/2020). This includes: work that threatens physical, mental, or spiritual development; construction; exposure to chemicals and explosives; garages, carpentries, and warehouses; mechanised fishing; tobacco sales; work at operating ports; and certain tourism sector jobs. The ILO CEACR (2023) welcomed this list as compliant with Article 3(2) of Convention No. 138. It is expected that the list will be periodically reviewed by the Labour Relations Authority in consultation with relevant stakeholders. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2008; 2020 | C138 & C182 | Employment Act (2008), Section 7 ; General Regulation on Child Rights Protection (R-70/2020) - Section 10 | [{"link_name":"-Employment Act","source_link":"https://lra.gov.mv/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Employment-Act-Unofficial-English-Translation.pdf"},{"link_name":"-CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:13100:0::NO::P13100_COMMENT_ID:4341884"}] | 18 | 6 | C138 and C182 set 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work, which is defined as work that, due to its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize children’s health, safety or morals. C138 and C182 allow countries to permit hazardous work exceptionally as from 16, provided that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or training. | Section 7 of the Employment Act (2008) establishes 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work. A detailed list of hazardous types of work prohibited for children under 18 was issued under Section 10 of the General Regulation on Child Rights Protection (R-70/2020). |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2011 ; 2019 ; 2013 ; 2025 | C182 | Drugs Act 17/2011 as amended, Section 135(c)(1); Child Rights Protection Act 19/2019, Article 122 ; Prevention of Human Trafficking Act - Articles 14, 18-20; Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act (7/2025) | [{"link_name":"-Drugs Act","source_link":"https://lethun.pgo.mv/en/laws/4f200be5-c269-4fc0-ad37-7bd2d3019a15?s=448"},{"link_name":"-Child Rights Protection Act","source_link":"https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/MALDIVES_Child%20Rights%20Protection%20Act.docx"},{"link_name":"-Prevention of Human Trafficking Act","source_link":"https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/F1205714061_MDV106008-Eng-1.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act","source_link":"https://en.mmtv.mv/5674"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Section 135(c)(1) of the Drugs Act 17/2011 prohibits the use of children in drug-related offences, including trafficking. Article 122 of the Child Rights Protection Act 19/2019 further strengthens this by prohibiting the use, procurement, or offering of a child for any illicit activity, explicitly including drug trafficking. In addition, the Anti-Human Trafficking Act 12/2013 expressly prohibits the use, procurement, or offering of children for illicit activities or any form of exploitation, including involvement in the production or trafficking of drugs, as stipulated under Article 14, with severe penalties prescribed under Articles 18 to 20. Furthermore, The Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act (Law No. 7/2025) prohibits the recruitment of children into gang groups, establishing a penlaty of 25 years' imprisonment and a fine ranging frm MVR 3 million to MVR 10 million for such offences. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 2009; 2014; 2019 | C182 | Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sex Abuse Offenders (2009) - Sections 17–19 ; Penal Code (2014) - Sections 621 and 622; Child Rights Protection Act (Law No. 19/2019) | [{"link_name":"-Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sex Abuse Offenders","source_link":"https://hrcm.org.mv/storage/uploads/50wN8XqA/8lvb7rok.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Penal Code","source_link":"https://www.law.upenn.edu/live/files/4203-maldives-penal-code-2014"},{"link_name":"-Child Rights Protection Act","source_link":"https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/MALDIVES_Child%20Rights%20Protection%20Act.docx"}] | Yes | 10 | C182 prohibits the use of a child under the age of 18 for prostitution, regardless of the child's consent. The use, procuring or offering of any person under the age of 18 for commercial sexual exploitation constitutes a worst form of child labour, even if prostitution is a legalised. In regard to the prohibition of child pornography, States need to make sure that national legislation addresses the involvement of a child in the production of pornographic materials, including non-recorded performances. | The Maldives criminalises the use, procuring, or offering of a child for prostitution, pornography, or pornographic performances through Sections 17–19 of the Special Provisions Act (2009), which allow penalties of up to 25 years of imprisonment. The Penal Code (2014) also prohibits related offences, but with much lighter penalties: up to eight years for child prostitution (Section 621) and only two years for child pornography (Section 622). In its 2023 Observation, the CEACR noted the disparity in penalties and the need for more dissuasive enforcement. While numerous sexual offence cases were reported, specific disaggregated data on the use, procuring, or offering of children for prostitution or pornography remains limited. The Committee urged the Government to strengthen prosecutions and ensure appropriate penalties are applied in practice. The absence of specific prohibition on non-recorded pornographic performances also leaves a gap in full compliance with Convention No. 182. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | N/A | C182 | National Service Programme | [{"link_name":"National Service Programme","source_link":"https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/33614"}] | N/A | 9 | C182 defines forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict as a worst form of child labour. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. | The Maldives does not currently have legislation explicitly prohibiting the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 into armed forces. In 2024, the government announced the National Service Programme, set to commence in 2025, targeting Maldivians aged 16 and above, particularly those unable to pursue further education or employment. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2013 (amended 2021); 2019; 2009 | C182 | Prevention of Human Trafficking Act - Section 14; Child Rights Protection Act; Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sex Abuse Offenders | [{"link_name":"-Prevention of Human Trafficking Act","source_link":"https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/F1205714061_MDV106008-Eng-1.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Child Rights Protection Act","source_link":"https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/MALDIVES_Child%20Rights%20Protection%20Act.docx"},{"link_name":"-Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sex Abuse Offenders","source_link":"https://hrcm.org.mv/storage/uploads/50wN8XqA/8lvb7rok.pdf"}] | Yes | 8 | C182 defines all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour as worst forms of child labour. | The Prevention of Human Trafficking Act (2013), amended in 2021, expands the definition of child trafficking under Section 14, addressing both sexual and labour exploitation of children. The Child Rights Protection Act (2019) and the Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sex Abuse Offenders further prohibit exploitative acts. However, the CEACR noted that the law still requires elements such as force or coercion, even in cases involving children, which is not in line with Convention No. 182. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 2008; 2019 | C138 | Employment Act - Section 6 ; Child Rights Protection Act - Article 26(b) | [{"link_name":"-Employment Act","source_link":"https://lra.gov.mv/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Employment-Act-Unofficial-English-Translation.pdf"},{"link_name":"-CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4341884,103365"},{"link_name":"-Child Rights Protection Act","source_link":"https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/MALDIVES_Child%20Rights%20Protection%20Act.docx"}] | No | 5 | C138 does not apply to work done in school for general, vocational or technical education or in training institutions or work done by children at least 14 years of age in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with conditions prescribed by the competent authority. Such work must be an integral part of: (i) a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; (ii) a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which programme has been approved by the competent authority; or (iii) a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. | While Section 6 of the Employment Act and Article 26(b) of the Child Rights Protection Act allow employment of children under 16 for training associated with their education or development, no minimum age is specified for such training. The legal framework of the Maldives does not currentlyy establish a minimum age for admission to apprenticeship. The ILO Committee of Experts (CEACR) has recalled that, under Article 6 of Convention No. 138, the minimum age for apprenticeships in undertakings must not be below 14. In its 2023 observation, the Committee urged the Government to take necessary measures to establish this minimum age and provide information on steps taken. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 2008; 2019; 2020 | C138 | Education Act; Employment Act; Child Rights Protection Act | [{"link_name":"-Education Act","source_link":"https://www.moe.gov.mv/storage/files/resources/English_translation_of_Education_Act.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Employment Act","source_link":"https://lra.gov.mv/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Employment-Act-Unofficial-English-Translation.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Child Rights Protection Act","source_link":"https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/MALDIVES_Child%20Rights%20Protection%20Act.docx"}] | Yes | 4 | C138 requires that the minimum age for admission to work shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, shall not be less than 15 years. | The Employment Act (2008) and the Child Rights Protection Act (2019) establish 16 as the minimum age for employment. The Education Act (2020), Section 14, confirms that compulsory education also continues until age 16. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | 2008 ; 2019 | C138 | Employment Act - Section 6 ; Child Rights Protection Act - Article 26 | [{"link_name":"-Employment Act","source_link":"https://lra.gov.mv/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Employment-Act-Unofficial-English-Translation.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Child Rights Protection Act","source_link":"https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/MALDIVES_Child%20Rights%20Protection%20Act.docx"},{"link_name":"-CEACR Direct Request","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID:4341887"}] | N/A | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | Section 6 of the Employment Act and Article 26 of the Child Rights Protection Act (CRPA) 2019 prohibit employment for children under 16 years, but both include an exception allowing children under 16 to engage in family-based work with their own consent. However, the Maldives has not formally excluded this category of work under Article 4(1) of Convention No. 138, nor reported any consultations with social partners. In its 2023 Direct Request, the CEACR reminded the Government that C138 applies to all sectors and all forms of work unless excluded by formal procedure. It requested the Maldives to: Confirm whether it intends to formally exclude family-based work by children under 16 from the application of the Convention, and If not, to amend Section 6 of the Employment Act and Article 26 of the CRPA to prohibit any work by children under the minimum age, including in family undertakings, even with consent. |
| Minimum age for light work | 2019 | C138 | Child Rights Protection Act - Articles 26(b), (c) and (d) | [{"link_name":"Child Rights Protection Act","source_link":"https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/MALDIVES_Child%20Rights%20Protection%20Act.docx"}] | N/A | 2 | C138 defines light work as work that does not interfere with children’s schooling, or their ability to benefit from it, and that is not hazardous. C138 allows countries to permit light work for children younger than the general minimum age. For countries that set the minimum age at 15, this means children aged 13-14, and for those that set it at 14, children aged 12-13 may engage in light work. | Maldivian legislation does not define a minimum age for light work. However, it is worth noting that, Article 26(b) of the Child Rights Protection Act (2019) prohibits employment of children under 16, except for training related to their education and upbringing. Article 26(c–d) permits non-harmful participation in family-based activities with the child’s consent, provided it does not interfere with education or harm the child’s development. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2019 ; 2008 ; 2023 | C138 | Child Rights Protection Act - Article 26; Employment Act - Sections 6 and 12; General Regulation on the Child Rights Protection Act (amended 2023) - Section 8 | [{"link_name":"-Child Rights Protection Act","source_link":"https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/MALDIVES_Child%20Rights%20Protection%20Act.docx"},{"link_name":"-Employment Act","source_link":"https://lra.gov.mv/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Employment-Act-Unofficial-English-Translation.pdf"}] | 16 | 1 | C138 establishes 15 as the minimum age for work in general. Developing countries have the option of setting a minimum age of 14 as a transitional measure as they strengthen their education systems and economies. | The minimum age for employment in the Maldives is 16, as set out in Section 6 of the Employment Act, while Article 12 prescribes the applicable penalities for contraventions of that Section. and Article 26 of the Child Rights Protection Act (2019). Children below this age cannot be employed in any capacity. In 2023, the General Regulation on the Child Rights Protection Act was amended to clarify both the types of work permitted for children aged 16 under supervision and training, and the types of work that are explicitly prohibited. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 04-JAN-2013 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 04-JAN-2013 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The main objective of the Maldives National Anti-Human Trafficking Action Plan 2020- 2022, is to accelerate efforts to eliminate Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in the Maldives. "In realizing this goal, the National Action Plan (NAP) aims to achieve 3 outcomes and complete 11 action items as relevant to the outcomes. The Outcomes are: 1. Enhanced Anti-TIP Legislations & Policies (LEG) 2. Enhanced Anti-TIP Sensitization & Awareness (SAW) 3. Enhanced Anti-TIP Monitoring, Enforcement & Training (MET) The outcomes will be managed by the NAHTSC subcommittees below: 1. Legislations & Policies Subcommittee (LEGCOM) 2. Sensitization & Awareness Subcommittee (SAWCOM) 3. Monitoring, Enforcement & Training Subcommittee (METCOM), Ministry of Defence (MoD) will have an active presence in each of the 3 subcommittees and provide logistical and technical support as required. | [{"link_name":"Maldives National Anti-Human Trafficking Action (2020 - 2022)","source_link":"https://www.gov.mv/dv/files/maldives-national-anti-human-trafficking-action-plan-2020-2022.pdf"}] | 2020-2022 | Maldives National Anti-Human Trafficking Action (2020 - 2022) | Anti-Trafficking in Persons Office (ATO) in coordination with the National Anti-Human Trafficking Steering Committee (NAHTSC) |