No opportunity for female anchors with headscarf - Nasheed

16 November 2007
Report: Soodh

Mohamed Nasheed Minister of Legal Reform, Information and Arts has said that the state television, TVM will stop employing women presenters and newscasters who wear head scarf. He made the statement in an interview given to AFP.

According to the article Minister Nasheed had ordered TVM to stop employing female newscasters who wear headscarves and not show fully veiled women, even in news. According to the news article he further ordered TVM to stop referring Palestinian suicide bombers as "jihadis" and to cease glorifying "holy war".

According AFP Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid said people have a right to know the identity of those around them, especially when they enter public buildings, government offices. According to AFP he further said that people are free to cover up every where else.

TVM has issued a news release explaining the circumstances which led to Mr. Nasheed comments to AFP, following a public outcry.

According to the news release Minister’s comment was prompted following a question from AFP’s reporter Jayashinghe. TVM’s release states that under a joint program conducted by Voice of Maldives and TVM to encourage moderate Islamic principles, a decision was reached not to show women wearing headscarf on TVM.
However the press release denies that the Minister had ordered them not employ female newscasters wearing head scarf. Further the press release states that the Minister never made any such comment to AFP.
The press release also makes it clear that it was Minister Nasheed who authorized the hiring of female anchors wearing headscarf when hiring of such newscasters was banned.
The press release reiterates that it is the policy of TVM not to discriminate between newscasters wearing headscarf and ones without headscarf.
Velidhoo News contacted CEO of TVM to obtain further information on the issue. CEO Ali Khalid told Velidhoo News that AFP did not accurately report what the Minister said. According to Ali Khalid, Minister’s decision was to employ newscasters with headscarf to certain percentage.