The Maldives will present its positions on development, Palestine, climate finance and other international human rights issues during the 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The session opened yesterday and is scheduled to run through to 7 October 2026. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, formally opened the proceedings with an overview statement addressing the current global human rights landscape.
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The delegation plans to present national statements across several specific agenda items aligned with government policy priorities. These planned engagements include interactive dialogues concerning the right to development, the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, and the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories. The delegation also intends to address the Secretary-General’s report regarding actionable pathways for climate financing.
In addition to main council activities, Dr Salma Rasheed delivered remarks at a side-event titled “Rights of Older Persons – Public Participation and Digital Inclusion”, co-organised by Malta and Slovenia. During the event, Ambassador Rasheed reportedly highlighted the Maldives’ rapidly ageing population, outlined national digital literacy initiatives under the National Policy and Action Plan on Ageing, and reaffirmed the nation’s support for a legally binding international instrument on the rights of older persons.
The Maldives plans to co-sponsor joint statements alongside partner nations within the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Informal Group of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Geneva.
Furthermore, while the Maldives finished its third term as an elected member of the 47-member council in 2025, the state intends to maintain an active role in multilateral discussions, thematic human rights issues, and country-specific considerations as an observer nation.
