Maldives at the Purple Festival 2025 — advancing disability rights, data inclusion, and South–South solidarity.

The International Purple Festival 2025 emerged as a dynamic global gathering committed to advancing inclusion, accessibility, and the rights of persons with disabilities. Convened by the Government of Goa and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in collaboration with the United Nations in India, the festival has evolved into one of the world’s leading platforms on disability inclusion. 

This year, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, India extended an invitation to the Maldives, following a nomination process through which the Maldives was selected to participate. The Maldivian presence at the festival underscored growing South–South cooperation and the shared regional commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities.

 Representing the Maldives, Fathimath Ibrahim — President of the Disability Council, two-time Paralympian, community advocate, and member of the Maldives Blind Association — joined the festival as the official delegate. Her participation provided a valuable opportunity to bring forward the experiences and aspirations of persons with disabilities in small island developing states, especially Maldives. 

Aligned with the UN@80 theme, “Universal Design: A Pathway to Inclusion for All,” the festival highlighted the need to mainstream empathy and disability inclusion across governance, education, and employment. With over one billion persons with disabilities worldwide (16% of the global population), discussions underscored persistent exclusion and the chronic undercounting of persons with disabilities — reinforcing the call for a global “data revolution,” because a child unseen in data is a child unseen in life.

 During the session on Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Fathimath discussed the Maldives’ unique vulnerabilities as a low-lying, geographically dispersed island nation. With 6.9% of the population identified as persons with disabilities (Census 2022), climate risks and limited accessibility infrastructure heighten the risk of exclusion. Drawing from her lived experience with Retinitis Pigmentosa and her Paralympic achievements, she delivered both a personal and national perspective.

 Fathimath emphasized the importance of interconnected disability databases, noting: “Our islands are scattered. Without reliable data, people fall through the cracks. How do you design universities, jobs, or sports programmes if you don’t know who needs them? A good census means a fair future.” Reiterating the slogan “Nothing about us, without us,” 

She also called for meaningful representation of persons with disabilities in island-level disaster committees, emergency drills, and national policy processes. She also highlighted the challenges of standardizing accessible infrastructure and stressed that resilience must begin at the community level, supported by strong national frameworks — especially vital for small island developing states like the Maldives.

 The three-day festival featured additional sessions on innovation, inclusive technology, entrepreneurship, and equity in health, education, and employment for persons with disabilities. 

This year's festival held special significance for the Maldives. As the nation marks 60 years of UN membership and the United Nations celebrates 80 years, Maldivian participation — facilitated through the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, India — reflected a deepening of regional collaboration and South–South solidarity.

 For the Maldives, engagement in the Purple Festival was more than an invitation; it was a timely reminder of the country’s ongoing journey toward disability inclusion, strengthened by six decades of partnership with the United Nations. As the world commemorates UN@80, the festival delivered a clear and unifying message: inclusive development is essential for resilience, dignity, and progress for all.