Mariya Ali is largely known for her reputation in getting things done across policy, practice and education around issues of well being for women and children. Being a pioneer is something that Mariya has consistently and successfully achieved.

In 1992, Mariya Ali began her career in the Unit for the Rights of Children just as the Republic of Maldives gave children the legal status as a rights holders. This is where she began to see the levels of abuse and developmental trauma children were experiencing.

She was appointed as the Deputy Minister for Health and Family in the Maldives from 2009-2011 holding the portfolio of gender and social services. In this role she brought in positive changes in case management system for violence against women and children, child protection system in the Maldives and many projects to further women’s and children’s rights. She then severed as an Under Secretary of the Policy Office, at the Office of the President of the Maldives focusing on social policy in 2011.

Three decades later as a registered social worker with The Social Work England and as an Honorary Knowledge Exchange Associate of Oxford Brookes University, initially at the School of Law and then the School of Health Sciences, she is active in advocating and publishing in the area of women and children’s rights and well-being.

Having worked in a variety of social work practice, policy, research and consultancy roles in different countries including Australia, United States of America, United Kingdom and Eastern European counties and South Asian countries, Mariya saw the need for application of emerging knowledge and complementary therapies to help traumatised children and adults as every country has their own healing traditions.

Since 2014, she has been learning and training in somatic and body healing methods, including Ki Gong, which is an ancient Chinese and healing technique involving breathing, meditation, movement and stretching.