The Ministry of Social and Family Development has stated that the Ijuthimaaee Badhahi Madhadhuverin (IBAMA) programme has been implemented in all but three atolls across the Maldives, with plans to complete implementation in the remaining atolls within the year.

This was revealed by the Ministry’s Lead Social Service Worker, Akram Hassan, during a meeting with the Parliament’s Human Rights and Gender Committee.

IBAMA is a multi-sectoral, community-based mechanism designed to identify vulnerable children and families and connect them with essential services. 

Akram noted that the Ministry is working to digitalise its services, expressing concern that information collected through the programme is not yet protected to the desired level. He said efforts are now underway to establish a secure system for managing IBAMA data and enabling members in island communities to enter information in real time.

He added that the Ministry is also developing a standardised assessment tool to evaluate vulnerable families based on indicators such as financial status and education levels. While acknowledging the time-intensive nature of such collaborative work, Akram said that positive outcomes are already being observed where the system has been put in place.

The Ministry affirmed that digitalisation would enhance data security and improve coordination among service providers involved in the IBAMA programme.