The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has initiated an investigation into allegations of discrimination and a hostile work environment that purportedly compelled Aishath Shooza, a senior staff member of the Ministry of Social and Family Development, to resign.
CSC President Mohamed Naseeh informed Mihaaru News today that a formal complaint regarding the discrimination faced by the ministry employee has been received and is currently under investigation.
A video circulating on social media features Shooza, the former head of the Guraidhoo Centre for People with Special Needs and a director at the ministry, addressing her colleagues at a farewell meeting. This meeting was convened following the government's decision to transfer the Ministry's "elderly department" to the Health Ministry.
In the video, Shooza, who has been with the Ministry since 2007, asserted that her work was unjustly interfered with. She stated:
"By December 2023, without any valid reason, I was stripped of all my duties, removed from the committees I was a part of, and even banned from entering senior staff meetings."
Shooza added that she had requested a meeting to clarify the situation but received no response. She also highlighted that she is not alone in facing such treatment, mentioning that several other ministry employees are experiencing similar issues.
When approached by Mihaaru News for a statement, the Ministry confirmed that the transfer of the Elderly Department and its employees to the Ministry of Health was in accordance with President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's directive. The Ministry explained:
"Those employees work closely with the service provision and case management at the centre for people with special needs in Guraidhoo. This transfer is intended to ensure the continuity of services at the centre."
The Ministry denied Shooza's allegations, asserting that:
"No employee has been terminated due to this decision, and no coercion has been applied to any staff."
Additionally, the CSC is examining complaints regarding Athika Ibrahim, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Dhivehi Language, Culture, and Heritage, who is accused of harassment and bullying against staff members. A petition with the signatures of 22 staff members was submitted to the CSC yesterday regarding this issue.
President Naseeh confirmed that this investigation is still ongoing. Both Minister Adam Naseer Ibrahim and Athika have denied the allegations, with the Minister stating during a press conference last month that Athika is a diligent and hardworking employee. He further noted that the issue had not been formally escalated to him.
Allegations Surface Against Social and Family Ministry Over Forced Resignation of Employee
Aishath Shooza, a senior staff member at the Ministry of Social and Family Development, has publicly accused the Ministry's leadership of fostering a hostile work environment that ultimately compelled her to resign.
