The Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) is a non-partisan NGO which aims to promote human rights and the principles of democracy in the Maldives. We undertake a wide range of awareness raising, monitoring, reporting, lobbying and advocacy work to this end. Although based in the capital Male’, MDN is active across the country with workshops, trainings, monitoring and advocacy efforts conducted in various atolls.

Most of MDN’s work is funded by international partners including the Australian, Dutch, Canadian, US and British governments as well as international NGOs such as the United Nations Development Programme and Amnesty International.

The Maldivian Democracy Network is important because it helps ensure that the voices of the most vulnerable in our society are heard. It is a civil society organization which campaigns for everyone’s rights in these polarized times. Over the years, MDN has earned a reputation for sincerity and effectiveness and is thus ideally positioned to help promote democratic values and human rights at a time when democracy needs to be consolidated.

History

MDN was originally formed as the Maldivian Detainee Network in 2004 following mass arrests and allegations of abuse in prisons in August of that year. Although not officially registered in the Maldives until June 2006, MDN is one of the first human rights NGOs established in the country. Working out of Colombo and Male’, MDN created a network of families and friends of people in detention in response to popular concerns over police impunity and lack of judicial independence in the Maldives.

MDN played an important role in campaigning for human rights and democracy in those turbulent times and is recognised both nationally and internationally as one of the main organisational influences that contributed to the democratic reform process in the country.

In order to better reflect the much wider range of human rights and democracy related work being carried out by the organization, MDN changed its name to the Maldivian Democracy Network in 2010. However, MDN remains true to its roots with an enduring commitment to detainee rights and periodic prison situation updates as part of our core activities.

Values

Commitment to Democracy and Human Rights for all: We believe in the rule of law, and that those laws should be made only with the consent of the people through their democratically elected representatives. We are committed to keeping the government, all political parties and other institutions accountable with regards to their responsibility to protect the human rights of all residents. We believe in the equality of all humans and that this must translate into the equal application of the law and human rights for all.

Non partisan: MDN is a completely non-partisan organization with no affiliations or loyalties to any political parties or political personalities. All our work is done in a manner which is extremely mindful of the fact that our credibility and thus effectiveness as an organisation depends on trust that we earn from the Maldivian people, the basis of which is our non-partisan and even-handed stance.

Truthfulness: We believe in operating in a truthful manner in all our dealings with all our stakeholders and make this a core principle in all our work.

Some examples of what we have achieved

MDN formulated and successfully lobbied for the incorporation of 24 amendments to the Anti-Social Behaviour bill to ensure that it was human rights friendly and practical.

MDN’s comprehensive Dhivehi publication on the Bill of Rights in the Constitution and local legal redress mechanisms is now used as a standard text for human rights training given to Judges in the Maldives.

MDN secured financial compensation for over 30 former prisoners of conscience

MDN was a key partner in the Green Campaign which successfully lobbied against amendments to the civil service act