Dunya Maumoon

Former Foreign Minister, Dunya Maumoon (Nov 2013 - July 2016)

Dunya Maumoon (born 20 March 1970) is the former Minister of Foreign Affairs (2013-2016) of the Government of Maldives.

Personal life

Dunya Maumoon with her daughter Sarraa Shah

Dunya Maumoon was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives from 2013- 2016.  She is he eldest daughter of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the third president of the Republic of Maldives.  Maumoon is married to well-renowned lawyer Mr Shuaib Shah. They have three children, Rafhaan Shah, Iyaadh Shah and Sarraa Shah.  Maumoon is the eldest sibling of Yumna Maumoon, Faris Maumoon and Ghassan Maumoon.

During the course of her distinguished career over the past 20 years following graduation from Cambridge University and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Maumoon has been a respected prominent figure in the social and political development of the Republic of Maldives. Maumoon was known for her strong leadership in ensuring the unique identity and pride of Maldivians during her tenure as the Foreign Minister. She is also a passionate advocate for human rights and gender equality and has made her mark in the Maldivian landscape.

Maumoon is committed to ensuring that the Maldives regains its respected position in the international community as a proud, sovereign nation which stands by its beliefs and principles as well as its proud Islamic heritage. She believes Maldives should continue its role as a promoter of human rights, rights of women as well as an advocate in alerting the world to the dangers of climate change, the impacts of which are already felt only too deeply in her. Today she remains deeply committed to strengthening democracy, reforming the justice system and ensuring gender equality in the Maldives.

Maumoon remains a strong independent voice in the political scene of Maldives. A voice calling for moderation and peace amidst the sharply polarized political landscape of a country torn between two giants in the Indian Ocean. A country and community grappling with issues of Islamic extremism, dissatisfied youth and the sharp divisions caused by modern-day democracy and the hatred perpetuated by social media.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Nov 2013 - July 2016)

Maumoon served as the Foreign Minister of the Maldives from November 2013 until July 2016. Maumoon was the first female Foreign Minister of the Maldives. While strengthening Maldives role in multi-lateral forums such as the United Nations and the OIC, Maumoon was also able to steer her team to ensure strengthening of regional ties as well as bilateral links with India, China and the Arab-Islamic world. At a time when Maldives democracy was young and continued to face challenges, Maumoon was able to communicate to the world, gain their respect and withstand international scrutiny and pressure to protect the sovereignty of Maldives.

Maumoon further played a key role in establishing and re‐energising close ties with traditional friends such as India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. At the same time, she was instrumental in building and strengthening new partnerships with China, Saudi Arabia and key countries. Maumoon also liaised with UK, US as well as a number of EU countries. During her tenure Maldives foreign policy focus was shifted towards commercial diplomacy with steps being taken by the Maldives Government to boost investor confidence. Finance was also facilitated for flagship mega‐projects of the Government such as the Maleʹ‐Hulhumale bridge which has reached successful completion and the Velana International Airport expansion project and a number of other projects.

Maumoon is also credited with the many steps she took towards creating a professional Foreign Service in the Maldives. Aside from boosting staff morale and assisting in their career paths, she was particularly sensitive to the needs of female diplomats (who made up 80%) of the service in balancing family and career. During her tenure, Maumoon submitted the Foreign Service Bill to parliament to protect the young service from political pressures and ensure professionalism. The bill is still pending in parliament.

In particular, Maldives as leader of small island developing states played a key role during Maumoonʹs tenure in the climate negotiations leading up to COP 21 in Paris. Maldives was elected chair of the Association of Small Island States, in November 2015. Under her guidance, the Maldives foreign service team in New York was able to achieve substantial progress in ensuring commitment of big and small nations to combatting the effects of Climate Change.

Following her dedicated and energetic tenure, Maumoon resigned from her post as the Foreign Minister of the Maldives on 5 July 2016, taking a principled stand with regards to the death penalty. She noted irreconcilable differences of opinion with the Maldives Government with regards to the Government decision to reintroduce the death penalty in the Maldives after an unofficial moratorium of more than 60 years. Particularly, given the strong international criticism and focus on the Maldives and the perception of the judiciary as purportedly not being entirely ‘free and fair’, Maumoon believed it would be detrimental to the Maldivian society to introduce harsh punishments such as the death penalty.

Maumoon provided leadership for the Maldivians in its second term serving on the UN's Human Rights Council. Maumoon addressed the Human Rights Council on a number of occasions. She also led the Maldives team at the Universal Periodic Reviews.  The Maldives foreign service team in Geneva, played a key role as a bridge builder and led a number of initiatives on gender, women's rights and children's rights.

Tenure as Deputy Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

After her tenure with the UNFPA, in January 2007, Maumoon took up the position of Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As head of the Multilateral Department of the Ministry, Maumoon and her team successfully launched much of the international work on human rights including reporting. She worked on promoting the ICCPR and ICESCR, which Maldives had acceded to in 1996, with the launch of the democratic Reform Agenda of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Maumoon was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, by President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan, in February 2012. Once again, she headed the multilateral department and oversaw the Public Information Unit. During her tenure, Maumoon was instrumental in facing and withstanding international pressure on the Government relating to the questions about the circumstances that led to President Mohamed Nasheed's resignation in February 2012.

At the Foreign Ministry, Maumoon was a strong advocate for human rights and gender equality both domestically as well as internationally. She launched the Maldives campaign for the Human Rights Council seat in Geneva in March 2013.  The Maldives has since won the seat for a second term. Domestically, she guided the Foreign Ministry team in its work on “Anti-Human Trafficking’ including in ensuring key legislation was initiated. She remains committed to ensuring progress in these areas and facing the challenges.

Political career

Maumoon contributed significantly to the rapid democratization process in the Maldives as part of the Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP). In particular she mobilized women as part of the political process and continuously advocated for empowerment of women. She worked closely with her much-respected father advising him of many of the democratic changes that he initiated in the Maldives.

From 2009 to 2012, Maumoon was involved in both DRP and later in the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) as Council Member and had a lead role in the Women's Movements. Maumoon was instrumental in the drafting and submission to Parliament of the landmark “Anti-Domestic Violence Bill” in 2010. The Bill was subsequently passed by Parliament in April 2012, and ratified by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan in the same month.

Playing a key role in the establishment and subsequent development of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Maumoon was elected President of the Women's Wing in February 2013. She played a key role in the 2013 presidential campaign which won President Yameen Abdul Gayoom the presidency. With her passion for the empowerment of women, Maumoon continues today, to be committed to ensuring the continued key role of women at decision-making levels within the government and in the Maldives parliament as well as at council level.

United Nations involvement

Maumoon began her professional career at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Maldives in 1998. remained with the UNFPA for over 8 years. Working closely with the Maldives Government of the time, she was able to successfully engage with a number of stakeholders, including the civil society, on initiatives relating to population and development, reproductive health, and gender. Several key studies were successfully completed during this time. These included both the 1999 and 2004 Reproductive Health Surveys as well as the 2006 Survey on Women's Health and Life Experience, which gathered data on the sensitive issue of violence against women.

Through her commitment and work Maumoon was able to contribute positively to promoting the rights of women and men as well as adolescents and youth in the Maldives. In an interagency role, she also contributed positively to better understanding and strategic interventions in the areas of HIV/AIDS as well as drug use, which was a growing problem in the Maldives. In particular, she worked with the Government to launch life skills education for youth. When the Asian Tsunami struck the Maldives in December 2004, she played a lead role in alleviating the hardship suffered by her fellow Maldivians as a part of the UN interagency relief and rehabilitation effort.

Educational Background

She obtained a B.A.(Honors) degree in Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge in England in 1992. She was awarded the Haddon Scholar for her excellent academic achievements. She went on to complete her MPhil Degree at the London School of Economic & Political Science (LSE) in 1996, where the focus of her research was “Gender Activism & the Islamic Revival”. Her early education was at Aminiya School in the Maldives, where is she is remembered for her excellent academic performance, leadership and team spirit in sports and her involvement in social activities.