An amendment to the Decentralization Act has been introduced in Parliament to strengthen Women’s Development Committees (WDCs) and provide official pay and Ramadan benefits.

The bill, introduced by MP Ahmed Zameer, aims to clarify the role of WDCs and ensure they receive the support they need from local authorities. It also sets out procedures for how funds should be used by the committees.

The proposed changes include fixing fair wages for WDC members, based on recommendations from the Local Government Authority (LGA), and providing them with a Ramadan allowance of MVR 3,000 each year, if they are not already receiving such benefits from other laws.

The bill is under debate in Parliament, with the goal of better supporting WDCs in their work.