Mariya Didi is the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Maldives, a former Member of People's Majlis and a leading human rights activist. She was sworn in as the Minister of Defence on 17 November 2018 by His Excellency President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. She is the first female in the history of Maldives to be appointed Minister of Defence. Mariya Didi has a bachelor's degree in Law and a master's degree in Law from the University of Aberystwyth, Wales, United Kingdom. She completed her professional qualifications in England and is among the first two Barristers to be called to the Bar of England and Wales, and is a Barrister of the prestigious Gray's Inn, England, having done her pupillage at Albion Chambers, Bristol. Mariya believes that her studies laid the foundations that in order for a country to become a nation of laws and enjoy all freedoms that come along with it, democracy and the rule of law have to be introduced, nurtured and allowed to flourish. Mariya Didi is the first female lawyer of the Maldives. As an elected Member of Parliament for 4 consecutive terms, Mariya Didi sat in the Drafting Committee of the 2008 Constitution. In 2007, she was awarded the International Women of Courage Award by the US Secretary of State in recognition of her contribution to democracy and human rights in the Maldives. She was elected as Chairperson of Maldivian Democratic Party, the largest political party in the Maldives. It was under her chairmanship that the party won the first ever multiparty democratic presidential elections held in the Maldives in 2008. On 7 February 2012, the then President Mohamed Nasheed of Maldives resigned suddenly in what his supporters called a “Coup d'état”. On the day of the President's resignation and on the day after, Mariya Didi was very badly beaten by some rogue members of the security forces, who had allegedly joined hands with the then Vice President, who succeeded the President under dubious circumstances. Mariya Didi is married to Mr. Mohamed Amir. She has one daughter and two sons.
