Rashida Yousuf (sometimes Yoosuf or Yusuf; her first name is sometimes transliterated Raashida) is a Maldivian politician and diplomat. Yousuf first served in the

cabinet of the Maldives The Cabinet of the Maldives is the most senior level of the executive branch of the Government of the Maldives. It is made up of the President, the Vice President, Attorney General and the Ministers. Cabinet of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih Previous adm ...

as the Minister of Youth and Sports. Appointed Minister of Women's Affairs and Social Welfare in 1997, she remained in the position until 2002. In that year she attempted to open up discussion in the Maldives on the subject of

domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...

, but was unsuccessful. In the same year she was appointed High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka, becoming the first woman to reach such a high rank in the Maldivian diplomatic corps. Yousuf was reappointed to the cabinet in 2008 by

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (; dv, މައުމޫން ޢަބްދުލް ޤައްޔޫމް; born 29 December 1937) is a Maldivian politician and an Islamic scholar who served as the President of Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as Minister of Trans ...

, a move that was not without controversy and which was described in some circles as nepotism. In 2011 she became Dhivehi Dhaulathuge Minister, holding that position until 2013. She is a member of the

Progressive Party of Maldives The Progressive Party of Maldives ( dv, ޕްރޮގްރެސިވް ޕާރޓީ އޮފް މޯލްޑިވްސް), also known by its PPM, is an Islamist political party in Maldives with a total membership of 37,093 as of 11 July 2021. The stated goal ...

. In 2008 she received an award from the Maldivian government for her work in the field of women's issues over the previous quarter-century.

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Government ministers of the Maldives Maldivian women diplomats High Commissioners of the Maldives to Sri Lanka Progressive Party of Maldives politicians Women ambassadors 20th-century women politicians 21st-century diplomats Women government ministers of the Maldives Women's ministers 21st-century Maldivian women politicians 21st-century Maldivian politicians 20th-century Maldivian women {{Maldives-politician-stub