Niumath Shafeeq, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s nomination for the post of Children’s Ombudsperson, has been sent for review to the Human Rights and Gender Committee.
During the People’s Majlis sitting on Monday, the letter forwarded by the president was heard at the chamber in order to garner approval.
A Children’s Ombudsperson is to be appointed as stipulated under Article 113 of the Child Rights Protection Act.
Majlis earlier passed to allocate a salary of MVR 35,000 to the Children's Ombudsperson. Under Article 121 of the Child Rights Protection Act, the People’s Majlis has the power to allocate a salary for the Children’s Ombudsperson and as such, the Public Accounts Committee passed to allocate a basic salary of MVR 25,000 for the Children’s Ombudsperson, who will also receive MVR 10,000 as an allowance.
Responsibilities of the ombudsperson include:
- Enforcing the implementation of the Child Rights Protection Act alongside identifying how much it is being implemented by the relevant stakeholders,
- Identifying if the relevant government institutions implement the act and taking measures to ensure it is followed,
- Monitoring and evaluating those employed at institutions advocating for children’s rights,
- Investigating actions of those employed at institutions advocating for children’s rights.
President Solih ratified amendments to the Child Rights Protection Act during November 2019.
The reconstituted Child Rights Protection Act outlines the rights and responsibilities for children; and duties of the State, community and parents to protect such rights; and seeks to reduce disparities between the previous law and international child protection laws and standards.
