Maldives has presented a resolution at the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council.

The resolution presented by the Maldives as the co-pen holder together with Mauritius is titled Strengthening the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, in the Work of the Human Rights Council.

The work for the resolution was initiated by a Core Group consisting of Maldives, Mauritius, Barbados, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Marshall Islands, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Senegal, Singapore, Switzerland, and Turkey، earlier this year.

The resolution was introduced by the island nation on behalf of the core group and was adopted by consensus and made history with a record number of co-sponsors.

The resolution is the most sponsored Human Rights Council resolution to date, with over 168 States being co-sponsors.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that this “unprecedented” level of support is “clear” evidence that the widespread, global recognition of the value of universality, inclusivity, and diversity of the multilateral systems.

The island nation extended gratitude to the donors of the Trust Fund, for their valuable contribution. Gratitude was also extended to the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for their support in implementing the activities of the fund over the years as well as assisting in the efforts to achieve universal participation at the work of the council.

Established a decade ago in 2012, the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund was incepted through a resolution put forward by Maldives and Mauritius as pen holders to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the work of the Human Rights Council.

The fund came into effect in 2014, carrying the purpose of ensuring universal participation at every session of the Human Rights Council.

The Trust Fund has supported beneficiary delegates from the Maldives in 2016, 2020 and 2021.

It provides LDCs and SIDS including those without permanent representation in Geneva with the resources needed to engage meaningfully in the work of the council and as of February this year, it has supported the participation of a total of 173 delegates, namely 108 women and 65 men, from 71 LDCs and SIDS.

Further, it offers induction training to beneficiary delegates as well as an e-learning tool that provides information on the rules, functioning and customary practices of the council.

The product of the work، in a span of one year, including four regional workshops in Malé, Georgetown, Nadi, and Ougadougou-Port Louis where the countries came together to discuss how best to strengthen the Trust Fund for future beneficiaries, the resolution was finalized after the Core Group consulted with Trust Fund donors, member and non-member States as well as representatives of Civil Society Organizations to attain a wide array of perspectives.

The Ministry went on to reveal that the resolution provides tangible suggestions to further strengthen the Trust Fund and enable the greater participation of states in the work of the Human Rights Council.

Mirroring a global recognition of the importance of the perspectives of Small Island Developing States like the Maldives at multilateral forums, the adoption of this resolution is a landmark victory for the foreign policy of the Maldives.

It also enhances the role played by the Maldives as a Champion for the ignored and undersold at the Human Rights Council.