Maldivians, you can shape your development story!

Maldives’ development story is impressive.

Since gaining independence, the country, once one of the world’s least developed, has reached middle-income status.

It scores high on the Human Development Index, with a near-perfect literacy rate and life expectancy of over 77 years.

The World Bank has been a trusted development partner for over 40 years, providing $295 million through 32 projects.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a sister organization of the World Bank has invested over $157 million to boost the private sector in Maldives. 

Six World Bank-funded projects, totaling $104 million, are now well under implementation across the archipelago - supporting fisheries, solid waste management, public financial management, as well as jobs with a particular focus on tourism and IT sectors.

But despite Maldives’ often-hailed success, many challenges remain, especially for youth, including women, who cannot contribute their full potential to their country’s future.  

Over a quarter of young women, aged 15-24 are not in employment, education, or training. 

Youth unemployment is high at almost 20 percent. Significant disparities in welfare and other socio-economic outcomes persist, with over 90 percent of poor Maldivians living in the atolls. 
 

Maldives scores high on the Human Development Index, with a near-perfect literacy rate and life expectancy of over 77 years.

Your Feedback Matters!

To help Maldives reach its true potential, the World Bank has launched its second Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD). 

This diagnostic will articulate the main challenges facing Maldives today and provide the analytical base that will determine the World Bank Group's engagement with the country over the next 4 to 5 years.

And to steer this process forward, we need your opinions!

While Maldives’ geography can make it difficult to reach everyone equally, we’re committed to involving as many Maldivians as possible through online public surveys. 

The surveys (in English and Dhivehi) are a chance for Maldivians to share their views on what they think are the most critical issues and opportunities facing their country and how these can be addressed.

We invite all Maldivians, including women and youth, to share what they think are the constraints and opportunities that lie ahead ; major challenges faced in ensuring prosperity for all; biggest opportunity Maldives has for improving the livelihoods of its people; ways to improve access to education, healthcare, and other basic services for all Maldivians; as well as opportunities to tackle the challenges.

To young Maldivians, this is your chance to tell us how we can help overcome the challenges you face in getting jobs and how we can create better employment opportunities through the private sector.

To Maldivian women, here is a unique opportunity for you to share with us the socio-cultural barriers that prevent you from realizing your aspirations. 

Your opinion matters and we look forward to your feedback!