The validation session for the research collaboration between the Human Rights and Gender Committee and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), with Villa College as the research lead, was successfully held on 18th March 2025 at Meeruma Hotel, Male'. This session was a key part of the "Parliamentary Inquiry on Online Violence Against Women in Politics" initiative, which aimed to address the challenges women face in political spaces due to online violence.

The research was led by Villa College, with the Faculty of Shariah and Law (FSL) and the Institute for Research and Innovation (IRI) playing a central role in the project. Villa College served as the research lead and has been instrumental in driving the research forward. This initiative received significant support from the Ministry and was initiated by WFD.

The session focused on discussing the research methodology, identifying priority focus areas, and setting clear objectives for the inquiry. The discussions also explored how this research aligns with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including: SDG 5, Gender Equality – Directly tackling violence against women in politics and promoting equal participation, SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – Strengthening legal frameworks and institutions to create safer environments and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Addressing the gender-specific barriers to political engagement and striving to reduce these inequalities.

The session was led by Amish Abdullah from Villa College’s Faculty of Shariah and Law, Dr. Fazeela Ibrahim from the Institute for Research and Innovation, Janet Veich from Westminster Foundation for Democracy who presented the outcomes of the inquiry for validation. The session also included contributions from Transparency Maldives, Maldives Independent, the Attorney General's Office, UNDP, political party representatives (including Women's Wings of MDP, MNP, PNC, and other parties), the British High Commission, the HR & G of the People's Majlis, and media representatives.