Shafaa Hameed
Shafaa Hameed is a senior journalist at the Maldives Independent. She first joined the newsroom in 2015 and reported for more than four years until its closure in 2020. Before returning to journalism, she worked as a programme coordinator at the American Center Malé and later with the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) and the International Republican Institute (IRI). During her time there, she served as programme officer and later as monitoring, evaluation and learning coordinator, focusing on assessing impact and delivering training under US State Department and USAID-funded initiatives, including the Strong and Inclusive Maldivian Democracy (SIMD) programme. Shafaa rejoined the Maldives Independent in August 2025 following its relaunch.
"A supermajority is not a blank cheque": is the Maldives anti-defection amendment unconstitutional?
Can a constitutional amendment be unconstitutional?
18 Mar, 16:00
Wilson the castaway cat: how a ginger tom was rescued from a desert island
A stranded cat, a viral plea, and a rescue mission during Ramadan.
12 Mar, 15:06
Referendum battle lines drawn as opposition launches "no" campaign
The key arguments from both sides ahead of the April 4 vote.
09 Mar, 15:12
Muizzu backs Gulf states on Khamenei killing as Maldivians declare solidarity with Iran
Bribery, Chagos and economic fallout at first presser in 304 days.
03 Mar, 16:37
Middle East war leaves Maldives exposed on every front
Flight cancellations, surging oil prices and a US$ 500 million debt deadline collide.
02 Mar, 12:29
From archipelago to city-state: a Q&A with Salma Fikry
On who benefits when Maldivians leave their islands behind.
23 Feb, 15:17
Dr Hassan Hameed on his life's work: an English-Dhivehi dictionary eight years in the making
"Language can limit what can be thought and expressed."
16 Feb, 15:00
Watchdog questions corruption score as Maldives stagnates on annual index
ACC says perception index doesn't measure actual corruption.
11 Feb, 13:14
A year after Trump's aid freeze, Maldivian civil society counts the cost
Affected groups on staff cuts, stalled projects, and starting over.
02 Feb, 16:49
"We simply have to keep going": Maldives' first Magsaysay laureate on fighting an existential timeline
Shaahina Ali on three decades of defending Maldivian reefs.
26 Jan, 14:10
The protection vacuum: Maldives grapples with children caught between law and exploitation
150 children in crime cannot be helped under current law, minister tells UN.
19 Jan, 16:09
Tears and pleas: the housing lottery Malé residents can't win
At town halls across the capital, decades of desperation poured out.
07 Jan, 16:08
Stranded students left to fend for themselves abroad
Scholarship and loan recipients describe systemic neglect by higher education ministry.
29 Dec 2025, 16:51
The forever accused: when waiting for trial becomes the punishment
Muizzu vowed to end vaanuvaa. Hundreds remain trapped in legal limbo.
18 Dec 2025, 21:33
Dissecting decentralisation: how island councils are about to change
With more changes to the Decentralisation Act approved, we take a closer look at what is happening to local governance in the atolls.
04 Dec 2025, 17:14
EU mission highlights SOE misuse as key unaddressed electoral concern
4,300 new hires in 2024 contradict government's reform pledge.
18 Nov 2025, 16:44
Fuvahmulah left without water after years of inaction on known leaks
Authorities knew since 2020, but residents were kept uninformed.
12 Nov 2025, 19:55
Different addresses, same desperation: voices from Malé's housing divide
Migrants and natives share their stories of struggle.
10 Nov 2025, 18:46
"Tired of parties": voter turnout drops amid urban-rural enthusiasm gap
Malé turnout trails national average by 13 points as urban centres disengage.
30 Oct 2025, 18:17
"No one is going to empower us": how the Maldives' only four-term councilwoman claimed real power
Fishermen call her for help. Female councilors seek her advice.
28 Oct 2025, 15:22
