Exploring child sexual abuse in the Maldives: measures, challenges, and effective approaches from government and NGOs

Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a pervasive global issue with severe implications for child well-being and societal development, including in the Maldives. Despite governmental and non-governmental efforts, critical gaps persist in understanding the efficacy of existing measures, implementation challenges, and best practices in addressing CSA. This study explores the measures, challenges, and effective approaches employed by government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in combating CSA in the Maldives, offering evidence-based insights to strengthen child protection frameworks. Methodologically, this qualitative study employed structured interviews with 30 key informants, comprising representatives from government bodies and NGOs actively engaged in CSA prevention. Data collection and analysis were guided by Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework, leveraging NVivo software to ensure systematic coding, pattern identification, and theme development. This approach enabled a rigorous exploration of stakeholder perspectives while maintaining methodological transparency. Theoretically, the study is anchored in Institutional Theory, Ecological Systems Theory, and Social Learning Theory, which collectively illuminate the structural, environmental, and behavioral dimensions of CSA responses. Findings revealed that while significant measures such as policy enforcement, legislative reforms, and institutional capacity-building are in place (RQ 1), persistent challenges hinder progress (RQ 2), including policy implementation gaps, resource constraints, and inter-agency coordination failures. The study identifies actionable strategies (RQ 3) to mitigate CSA, emphasizing robust law enforcement, community engagement, and systemic accountability mechanisms. A critical insight was the pivotal role of multi-sector collaboration in building public trust and sustainable child protection systems. By integrating empirical findings from the Maldivian context with theoretical and methodological rigor, this research advances the global discourse on CSA and provides policymakers with targeted recommendations. It underscores the urgency of addressing systemic inefficiencies through coordinated government-NGO action, ultimately contributing to safer environments for children in the Maldives and comparable settings.