Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed is a Maldivian diplomat, and was the Secretary-General of the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). She was the first woman to hold this post since the organization's inception in 1985. She was appointed Secretary-General at the Thirty-third Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers in February 2011, and assumed office in
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
on 1 March 2011. She succeeded
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
's
Sheel Kant Sharma, whose term ended in February.
She was previously the
Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
’ Attorney General, and also served as the Maldivian Government’s Envoy for South Asia.
She holds a master's degree in Law from the Graduate School of Law and Politics, Osaka University, Japan. She has a PhD from Leicester University, UK.
She is the first female to hold this position, as well as the youngest person on the post.
Early years and education
Dhiyana Saeed was born in
Hithadhoo (modern
Addu City),
Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
. She obtained her primary and secondary education in the Maldives. In 2000, she acquired a
Bachelor's Degree in Law (LLB) from the
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is a public research university, primarily located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1890, it is Australia's fourth oldest university. Christ College, one of the university's residential colleges, first pro ...
in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. In 2004, she earned a
Master's Degree in Law (LLM) from the Graduate School of Law and Politics,
Osaka University
, abbreviated as , is a public research university located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is one of Japan's former Imperial Universities and a Designated National University listed as a "Top Type" university in the Top Global University Project. ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
Politics
Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed is a founding member of the
Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party
The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party ( dv, ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޕާޓީ, , DRP) is a political party of the Maldives. On 2 June 2005, the nation’s 50-member parliament voted unanimously to allow and operate political parties in Maldi ...
and has served as a member of its Executive Council. Later, she joined the
Jumhoory Party
The Jumhooree Party ( dv, ޖުމްހޫރީ ޕާޓީ, ''Republican Party'') is a political party in the Maldives. The party was founded by a group of MPs on 26 May 2008, and grew quickly, rapidly overtaking the Maldivian Democratic Party to become ...
and was elected the Leader of its Women’s Wing. During these political stints, she has been a vocal proponent for legal reforms, human rights and gender issues as well as the consolidation of democratic governance in the Maldives.
Career
Dhiyana Saeed started her legal career as a
State Attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...
at the
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
’s Office in 2000. As a State Attorney, she was responsible for providing legal opinion to the
Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
on all aspects of its dealings and for reviewing draft laws and regulations. She was promoted to the post of Executive Director in 2005. Earlier the same year, she was also appointed to the People’s Majlis (Parliament) and by virtue of that appointment, she also became a member of the People’s Special Majlis (Constitutional Assembly). As a member of the Parliament and the Constitutional Assembly, she played a key role in introducing a multi-party democracy to the Maldives and instituting constitutional and law reforms. She is especially credited for proposing a deadline to complete the constitution and a time-bound schedule to meet the proposed deadline.
Attorney General
In 2008, she was appointed as the Attorney General of the first multi-party Government in the Maldives. As the Attorney General, she played a leading role to sustain the newfound democracy and the decentralization of powers in the Maldives.
On 18 May 2009, after 6 months as Attorney General, President
Mohamed Nasheed
Mohamed Nasheed GCSK (; born 17 May 1967) is a Maldivian politician and activist currently serving as the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis since May 2019. A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, he served as President of the ...
officially dismissed Dhiyana Saeed as Attorney General. The President's Office later stated that this move was carried out in order to assemble a cabinet that has greater confidence within the opposition-ruled parliament. However, this move was also seen as a proving fact for the anticipated breaking of the coalition between the ruling
Maldives Democratic Party
The Maldivian Democratic Party ( dv, ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ޕާޓީ, ''Dhivehi Rayyithunge Dimocretic Pati''; MDP) is the first political party formed in the Republic of Maldives with a total membership ...
and
Jumhooree Party
The Jumhooree Party ( dv, ޖުމްހޫރީ ޕާޓީ, ''Republican Party'') is a political party in the Maldives. The party was founded by a group of MPs on 26 May 2008, and grew quickly, rapidly overtaking the Maldivian Democratic Party to becom ...
, of which she was a member.
Envoy for South Asia
On 4 August 2010, President
Mohamed Nasheed
Mohamed Nasheed GCSK (; born 17 May 1967) is a Maldivian politician and activist currently serving as the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis since May 2019. A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, he served as President of the ...
appointed Saeed as the
Maldivian Government's Envoy for
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
. She retained this post until 1 March 2011.
Secretary-General of SAARC
Dhiyana Saeed was the candidate provided by the
Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
, in nomination for the post of the 10th Secretary General of SAARC. On 10 February 2011, she was appointed to the post by the Thirty-third Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers held in
Thimphu
Thimphu (; dz, ཐིམ་ཕུག ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's ''dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient ...
,
Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous ...
.
She assumed office in
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
on 1 March 2011.
She resigned on 19 Jan 2012 over a controversy for participating in a Maldives political protest alongside
Ahmed Thasmeen Ali
Ahmed Thasmeen Ali (born 1966; dv, އަޙްމަދު ތަސްމީން ޢަލީ), leader of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party is a Maldivian MP, philanthropist and a businessman. Thasmeen started his career as a civil servant and after venturing into polit ...
and
Qasim Ibrahim
Qasim Ibrahim (born February 10, 1951), also known as Buruma Qasim is a Maldivian politician, business magnate and philanthropist. As the chairman and founder of the Villa Group, he is one of the country's wealthiest businessmen.
Ibrahim ra ...
and for her involvement in the internal politics of the nation, her resignation was accepted on 24th Jan 2012. This is the first time a SAARC secretary general resigned prior to the expiry of terms since its foundation in 1985.
Personal life
Dhiyana Saeed was married to Abdullah Jabir and has two sons and a "just ok" nephew.
See also
*
SAARC
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, ...
References
External links
Profile On SAARC Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saeed, Fathimath
1974 births
Living people
Maldivian diplomats
Osaka University alumni
Secretaries General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
Maldivian women diplomats
Women government ministers of the Maldives
21st-century Maldivian women politicians
21st-century Maldivian politicians
Attorneys General of the Maldives
20th-century Maldivian women