The Maldivian Cabinet has approved the nation’s accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The decision followed a paper submitted by the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare during a Cabinet meeting on Sunday. Following the decision, President Muizzu agreed to submit the treaty to the People’s Majlis, as Article 93(a) of the Constitution of the Maldives requires parliamentary approval before the state can formally accede to international treaties.
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Although the Maldives ratified the primary Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 5 April 2010, the government has not yet signed up to its Optional Protocol—a separate, voluntary agreement. International human rights bodies have repeatedly urged the country to ratify the instrument during routine international reviews.
Accession to the Optional Protocol establishes two formal procedures overseen by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:
- Individual Communications Procedure: Grants individuals or groups who claim that a state party has violated their rights under the Convention the ability to lodge formal complaints directly with the UN Committee, provided they have exhausted all domestic legal remedies.
- Inquiry Procedure: Gives the UN Committee the authority to initiate confidential investigations if it receives reliable information detailing grave or systematic violations of disability rights within a state party.
By advancing the protocol to parliament, the administration aims to establish stronger international accountability mechanisms and align domestic legislation with broader global human rights frameworks.
