Sarah Palin of Maldives

Fathimath Nahid Shakir becomes first woman to enter presidential race in the Maldives.

Social Liberal Party presidential candidate Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) on Friday selected Fathimath Nahid Shakir, who has over 20 years’ experience in the educational sector, as his running mate.

Ibra is the first of eight presidential candidates to select a woman to partner them in the race. If the pair succeed, Nahid would hold the highest position ever occupied by a woman in the modern Maldives.

“We are out to bring changes. We cannot bring reform if half of the population is excluded – by isolating women from decision-making,” Ibra said.

“I am standing for sincere change…with courage,” Nahid told journalists at a Saturday press conference.

“Ibra is saying what he has said before. His determination has not changed. Therefore I am certain Ibra’s thinking and policy is strong and sincere. With that certainty I have today accepted the position of Ibra’s running mate,” she said.

Nahid has resigned from her post as Curriculum Development Coordinator at the Educational Development Center (EDC) to accept the Liberal Party’s offer.

Although she is new to the political sphere, Ibra says, “Maldivians do not want a famous person or a PHD holder. They do not want someone who is unclean. They want sincerity.”

Nahid is the mother of two and the wife of Special Majlis MP Ahmed “X-ray” Athif. She holds a masters degree in education management from the University of Reading in the UK.

She has worked under Ibra in the education sector, as a curriculum developer and in pre-school and primary school teaching.

The Liberal Party places education at the heart of its manifesto, promising universal pre-school education and single-session schooling.

“I am repeatedly saying to improve education in the country, the most important and challenging task we must undertake is to provide good quality pre-schooling to every Maldivian student,” Ibra said.

“The main concerns of a mother are pre-schooling and the drugs issue. And is it not a mother who can contribute most to these concerns?”

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) had originally selected Dr. Aminath Jameel as running mate, but the party’s Islamic council rejected the choice, deeming it “un-Islamic” for a woman to hold a leadership position.

Ibra says, “We will not give the opportunity for a violation of citizens’ freedoms in the name of religion.”

“If religion forbids it, if the Maldivian citizens would be dissatisfied by it, if it was against the constitution, we would not have made the choice,” he told the press. “All political parties talk about women’s rights. But they do not give the opportunity for women to have a say in decision-making.”

The Maldives’ first women judges were appointed last year, whilst the country’s new constitution, ratified on 7 August, removed the gender bar on the presidency amid protests from the religious conservative Adhaalath Party.

Despite high-profile women such as attorney general Azima Shukoor, the overall proportion of women in leadership positions in the country remains low.

Candidates are required to submit their nomination papers to the Elections Commission by 21 September, including information on running mates.

The country’s first ever multi-party presidential elections will take place on 8 October.

Listen to her speech (Dhivehi)

http://badr.mypodcast.com/