Maldives will continue to promote and protect human rights for all, declares the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid.

Delivering his address at the High-Level Segment of the 43rd UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday evening, where the foreign minister highlighted the country’s human rights achievements thus far, FM Shahid reiterated the country’s commitment to work “constructively” alongside the international community to enhance and build upon the accomplishments Maldives has achieved so far.

Shahid highlighted that Maldives owes gratitude to many who tirelessly worked to uphold the UN Charter and continues to uphold the values it enshrines. This noble work, he said, has rewarded cooperation, dialogue to embrace a culture of respect along with basic rights and fundamental freedoms.

Shedding light on the country’s authoritarian past, Shahid stated that the country left behind a “painful legacy of authoritarianism and the culture of impunity” after Maldives re-engagement with the international community.

Sharing the transformative changes and important milestones that were reached after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih assumed office in 2018, Shahid said that Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations after an absence of four years, in February 2020.

In September 2019, Maldives ratified the protocol to the convention of the rights of the child and signed the declaration under Article 22 of the convention against torture.

Further, Maldives submitted its notification to withdraw the reservations to part 1 (b), (e), (g), (h), and also part II of Article 16 of the convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women on 24 February 2020.

Highlighting that the country hosted two special procedure mandate holders during last year, Shahid expressed hope to welcome the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression to the country next week.

The third cycle of the Maldives ​Universal Periodic Review will be held in May 2020, said Shahid, adding that the country intends to accept recommendations and engage constructively to further strengthen the national human rights framework.

Moreover, Shahid highlighted that there are no longer any cases of Maldivian parliamentarians before the committee on human rights of the inter-parliamentary union, for the first time since 2002.

Several legal instruments were amended and signed into law during 2019 in accordance to international obligations, on the domestic front. FM Shahid went on to add that the recently ratified Child Protection Act confirms to the Convention of the Rights of Children, the Juvenile Justice Act raises the age of criminal responsibility to 15 years.

Local Councils have been empowered through legislative amendments to the Decentralization Act, allocating 33 percent of all local council seats to female councilors.

Shedding light on other accomplishments, the foreign minister stated that the country has ensured the independence of lawyers, carried out a comprehensive audit of all prisons in the country and remains steadfast to meet international standards, “including the Mandela Rules”.

In conclusion, the foreign minister extended gratitude for the support extended by the international community for Maldives to implement its human rights agenda.