Summary
Women’s participation in the Maldivian workforce remains sharply unequal, with labor force participation at 41 percent compared to 76 percent for men.
To help close this gap, and with support from the European Union Dhiraagu partnered with IFC to translate their commitments into concrete workplace change, addressing structural barriers that limit women’s access to formal work, career progression, and leadership opportunities.
From 2022 to 2024, IFC provided targeted advisory support to strengthen Dhiraagu’s policies, talent pipelines, and workplace practices. The engagement focused on building pathways for women into technical roles, expanding structured mentoring and leadership development, and introducing flexible work and returnship policies to support career continuity, areas where women face disproportionate constraints.
The outcomes were measurable. By the end of 2024, the number of women in technical roles surpassed targets, and all technical apprentices recruited that year were women. Mentorship and leadership programs supported women’s advancement, while policy reforms helped retain talent.
The Dhiraagu case study demonstrates how IFC advisory can help companies move from intent to impact, creating more and better jobs for women and embedding inclusion as a driver of long‑term workforce resilience and growth.
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