Maldives Advances SIDS and Justice Priorities at UN Human Rights Council

The Maldives used the 62nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to advance issues linked to justice, education, health care protection, women’s empowerment and the priorities of Small Island Developing States, as the session concluded in Geneva yesterday.

The Maldives also continued its advocacy for the rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination. It called for the protection of civilians, unhindered humanitarian access, and a just and lasting peace based on international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

A key area of engagement for the Maldives was the resolution on “Independence and impartiality of the judiciary, jurors and assessors, and the independence of lawyers: mandate of Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.” The Maldives served as a member of the cross-regional core group for the resolution.

The resolution seeks to strengthen the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and legal profession, improve access to justice and the rule of law, address emerging challenges facing justice systems, and renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers for a further three years. It was adopted by consensus, with 62 co-sponsors at the time of adoption.

The 62nd Session of the Human Rights Council concludes with active participation and engagement of the Maldives Delegation

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The Maldives also co-sponsored resolutions on the right to education, the protection of health care in armed conflict, the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, and technical assistance and capacity-building to support women’s access to education and work in digital and cybersecurity-related fields.

These engagements reflected the Maldives’ broader foreign policy focus on social justice, human rights, international cooperation and sustainable development.

The Maldives also co-sponsored joint statements delivered on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Representing an Informal Group of Small Island Developing States, the Maldives delivered a joint statement calling for demand-driven and country-owned technical cooperation and capacity-building to strengthen resilient and people-centred health systems suited to the needs of SIDS.

On the margins of the session, the Maldives partnered with The Bahamas, Fiji, Finland, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu, with support from Universal Rights Group and the Essex Human Rights Centre, to organise a side event marking the 20th anniversary of the Human Rights Council.

The event, titled “A Small Islands Story: 20 Years of SIDS Advocacy and Influence at the Human Rights Council”, focused on the role of SIDS within the Council, including their contribution as leaders, bridge-builders and advocates for human rights.

The Maldives delegation was led by Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Dr Salma Rasheed.