Zara's Choice: Between the Ocean and Her Family

Youth Voice: This article was written by Sarraa Shah a 19-year-old youth advocate to highlight the lived realities, challenges, and aspirations of young Maldivian women seeking opportunities within the tourism sector. 

On the small island of Fulidhoo, where the rhythm of life follows the tides and the sun, 20-year-old Zara wakes before dawn. The sea that surrounds her home is the same sea that carries thousands of tourists each year to luxury resorts—places filled with opportunity, yet just out of reach.

Zara lives with her parents, both in their 50s, and her two younger siblings, aged five and eight. Like many families across the Maldives, her household can no longer rely on a single income. She knows she must work. She wants to work. And like many young Maldivian women, she dreams of joining the tourism sector, the backbone of her country's economy.

But for Zara, this dream comes with a painful question: Who will take care of her family if she leaves?

A Dream Interrupted by Reality

Tourism jobs in the Maldives are rarely close to home. Resorts are scattered across isolated islands, often requiring workers to live on-site for weeks at a time. For Zara, accepting a job would mean leaving her siblings behind, missing their school milestones, their laughter, and their need for guidance.

• No childcare facilities in staff accommodations.
• No family housing.
• No easy way to return home after a shift.
• Even a single day off is often consumed by long, exhausting travel across the atolls.

For Zara, working in tourism does not just mean employment; it means separation.

The Hidden Cost for Women

Zara's story is not unique. Across the Maldives, women face systemic barriers that make participation in tourism difficult:

• Many women leave their jobs after starting families, with little support to return.
• There are few re-skilling or re-entry programs.
• Flexible work arrangements are nearly non-existent.
• Senior roles are often filled by expatriates rather than local women.

Despite hospitality being deeply rooted in Maldivian culture, women like Zara struggle to move beyond entry-level roles, or even to enter the workforce at all.

Imagine the contrast: about 65% of tourism workers are expatriates, even though policies aim for a majority local workforce. The gap between policy and reality leaves many capable Maldivian women without opportunities.

A Workforce Gap—and an Opportunity

In the coming years, the tourism sector will need up to 25,000 workers, yet only a fraction of that number will come from the local population. This gap presents a powerful opportunity: investing in Maldivian women.

Imagine if Zara could work at a resort that offered:

• Safe, accessible childcare.
• Family-friendly accommodations.
• Flexible rotation allows meaningful time at home.
• Mentorship programs pairing local workers with experienced professionals.

These changes would not just transform Zara's life; they would strengthen families, communities, and the entire economy.

Zara's Future

Zara still dreams of working in tourism. She imagines welcoming guests from around the world, sharing her culture, and earning enough to support her family.

But she also dreams of being present—for her siblings, for her parents, and for the life she already has.

She should not have to choose.

Be Part of the Change

Your contribution can help create a future where women like Zara do not have to leave their families behind to build a career. A future in which the tourism industry reflects the people and culture of the Maldives.

Support initiatives by the UNFPA and help unlock the potential of thousands of women, because when Zara succeeds, her whole community rises with her.

This article is first published at UNFPA Maldives website on Investing in the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation: Why Sustained Commitment Matters in the Maldives   

To learn more about the works of UNFPA Maldives Please go to maldives.office@unfpa.org.

(3) UNFPA Maldives (@UNFPAMaldives) / X UNFPA Maldives (@unfpamaldives) • Instagram photos and videos