Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed

Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed (; born 21 November 1972) is a Maldivian diplomat and politician who served as the Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). She was the first woman to hold this post since the organization's inception in 1985. She was appointed Secretary-General at the Thirty-third Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers in February 2011, and assumed office in Kathmandu on 1 March 2011. She succeeded India's Sheel Kant Sharma, whose term ended in February.

She was previously the Maldives’ Attorney General, and also served as the Maldivian Government's Envoy for South Asia. She holds a master's degree in law from the Graduate School of Law and Politics, Osaka University, Japan.

Early years and education Dhiyana Saeed was born in Hithadhoo (modern Addu City), Maldives. She obtained her primary and secondary education in the Maldives. In 2000, she acquired a Bachelor's Degree in Law (LLB) from the University of Tasmania in Australia. In 2004, she earned a Master's Degree in Law (LLM) from the Graduate School of Law and Politics at Osaka University, Japan.

Politics Dhiyana Saeed is a founding member of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party and has served as a member of its Executive Council. Later, she joined the Jumhooree Party and was elected the Leader of its Women's Wing. During these political stints, she has been a vocal proponent for legal reforms, human rights and gender issues as well as the consolidation of democratic governance in the Maldives. However, this move was also seen as a proving fact for the anticipated breaking of the coalition between the ruling Maldives Democratic Party and Jumhooree Party, of which Dhiyana Saeed was a member.

Envoy for South Asia On 4 August 2010, President Mohamed Nasheed appointed Saeed as the Maldivian Government's Envoy for South Asia. She retained this post until 1 March 2011.

Secretary-General of SAARC Dhiyana Saeed was the candidate provided by the Maldives, in nomination for the post of the 10th Secretary-General of SAARC. On 10 February 2011, she was appointed to the post by the Thirty-third Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers held in Thimphu, Bhutan. She assumed office in Kathmandu on 1 March 2011. This was the first time an SAARC secretary-general resigned prior to the expiry of their term since the organization's foundation in 1985.

Minister of Gender, Family and Human Rights Following the creation of the Ministry of Gender, Family and Human Rights, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik appointed Dhiyana Saeed as the Minister. On 19 November 2012, President Waheed dismissed Dhiyana as Minister and appointed Mariyam Shakeela as the acting Minister.

Personal life Dhiyana Saeed was married to Abdulla Jabir and has 2 sons.