President Abdulla Yameen has on Thursday night expressed the government’s support for more female participation in business and corporate leadership.

At an exposition arranged by first lady Fathimath Ibrahim, President Abdulla Yameen had seen and commended various displays of crafts, and pledged that the government would work to give these crafts more exposure and establish a stronger market for them.

He then expressed his support for gender equity in workplaces and applauded the high female employee numbers in local health and education sectors.

“Maldivians should be proud of this, traditionally it has always been our women that involved themselves the most in education and health” he said.

Further, he stated that the government would open avenues for higher female participation in politics and corporations as well, and revealed the government’s reported plans to cap female participation in corporate boards of directors to 40 percent.

“Most of our women shine the brightest at home, and though this does not factor into any figure in our GDP, we see more coming out and taking a more hands-on approach to their work and life” the President added.