Human rights remain an “important cornerstone” of the Maldives domestic and foreign policy, states President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

This was revealed by the president via a Twitter post early Friday, following the government’s decision to ratify two key international treaties in regards to human rights, announced on Wednesday.

As such, the president expressed pleasure in the cabinet’s recommendation to ratify the "Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights" and the "International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance", subject to approval from the People’s Majlis.

The “Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights” facilitates individual ability and that of organizations to submit complaints regarding violations of their rights guaranteed by the main body of the treaty and was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 2008.

The “International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances” was initially signed by the Maldives on February 6, 2007, but the country is yet to ratify it. The UNGA member states adopted the convention into international law on December 20, 2006 and it came into effect on December 23, 2010.

Following this decision, the Attorney General’s Office began work to bring the relevant changes to the domestic legal regime as an important step to give effect to these key instruments of International Human Rights Law.