Maldives Gov’t Condemns 21-year-old Maldivian Girl’s Participation in Miss Universe

The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information, and Arts has publicly condemned the planned participation of 21-year-old model Mariyam Shaina Naseem in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant, scheduled to take place in Mexico this November.

Shaina, who won Top Model Maldives in 2022, is set to become the first model to represent the Maldives at the Miss Universe competition. The Embassy of Mexico in India recently announced on X that it has granted Shaina a visa to facilitate her travel for the event. Her participation is made possible through He n’ She Maldives, the event management agency responsible for introducing the Top Model franchise to the Maldives.

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🇲🇽 Cónsul at @EmbaMexInd, Diego Pérez, granted a visa to 🇲🇻 contestant Maryam S. Naseem who will represent Maldives in Miss Universe 2024 in 🇲🇽. This is the first time in the history of this competition that Maldives participates. @EmbaMexInd wishes her the best. pic.twitter.com/zPTi3wPOJH— Embassy of Mexico in India 🇲🇽 (@EmbaMexInd) October 29, 2024

Shaina previously competed in the World Top Model event held in Egypt last year, where she ranked in the top fifteen and received the ‘New Face’ award.

Currently, Shaina is in Mexico with a team from He n’ She Maldives. This year’s Miss Universe competition will see participation from representatives of 130 countries, marking the 73rd edition of the event. Other newcomers this year include Belarus, Iran, Moldova, Somalia, and the UAE.

The government said in a statement today that it does not endorse activities and competitions that “conflict with the country’s religion, faith and culture.”

“As these activities contradict the social norms upheld by Maldivians, the government condemns any Maldivian who attends such events under the guise of representing the Maldives. We urge the individual considering participation in the event to refrain from doing so.”

The government statement follows criticism from several local scholars and preachers after their religious sensitivities were disturbed due to the news of Shaina’s participation in the pageant.

ޒީނަތްތެރިކަން ވީހާވެސް ބޮޑަކަށް ހާމަކުރުމެވެ.
ޤިޔާމަތް ދުވަހުން އެފަދަ މީހުން މާތްﷲ ގެ ޙަޟްރަތުގައި ބުނާނީ ކީކޭބާ؟
“ތިމަންނާއަށް އެކަން އޮޅުނީއޭ” މިހެންބާ!— ZamzamFarish – ޒަމްޒަމް ފާރިޝް (@ZamzamFarish) October 29, 2024

Zamzam Farish, a Maldivian preacher, faced backlash for making derogatory comments about 21-year-old Shaina, suggesting that she deserves punishment for participating in the pageant. Zamzam, who also worked as a teacher, made his remarks in a Facebook post, referring to Shaina as an “infidel.”

Farish’s remarks have sparked a debate on social media, with many questioning why a similar outcry did not occur regarding the recent Mr. Maldives event organised by the National Bodybuilders Association, which featured men in tight clothing and spandex.

We should be empowering this woman, not condemning her… we have men parading around in their undies for the Mr. Maldives competition. We do not see the government issuing media statements condemning it. https://t.co/JLXZ9ZbZ7m— Thaathu 🇲🇻 (@ThAaThUu) October 30, 2024

In their statement, the government also repeatedly stressed that the government had no involvement in this representation and advised the public to not spread this misinformation. 

The Ministry of Youth Empowerment’s statement marks a notable instance of the government condemning a Maldivian representing the country at an international event, reflecting ongoing tensions surrounding cultural and religious values in the Maldives.