OHCHR in the Maldives

Background

A Human Rights Adviser joined the United Nations Country Team in the Maldives in November 2012. The Human Rights Adviser supports efforts to mainstream human rights and build the internal capacity of the UNCT to better support strengthening the national human rights protection systems.

A small country of almost 2000 islands spread across the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has been undergoing democratic transition only since 2008. It has faced challenges in consolidating democratic institutions and culture, including the respective roles of the judiciary, executive, parliament, independent institutions and civil society. A controversial change of power in 2012 and protracted delays in holding presidential elections in 2013 have highlighted the fragility of this transition. The Maldives also remains prone to human rights impact from climate change and natural disasters. The Maldives has engaged positively with the international human rights system with a large number of treaties ratified and a standing invitation to Special Procedures.

The High Commissioner visited Maldives in November 2011. Her final statement is available here Other press releases on the Maldives are also available on OIHCHR’s website. Several Special Procedures have visited Maldives in recent years and their statements are available on this page.

Activities

The Human Rights Adviser works to build knowledge and skills about international human rights standards and strategies; promote participation of national actors, including the UNCT, in UN human rights machinery, as well as integrating a rights-based approach in activities; and works to protect the space to carry out human rights work. Key thematic areas include:

• Widening the democratic space, through empowerment of civil society
• Providing support to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives to assist the Commission in fulfilling its mandate, including through building a platform for cooperation among National Institutions in the region to advance to goal of gender equality and non-discrimination of women.
• Supporting the implementation of UPR and treaty bodies recommendations and the reporting to treaty bodies.

Strengthening accountability and the rule of law: the HRA will provide technical assistance in strengthening the administration of justice in the Maldives and continue to advocate for the Maldives to retain its moratorium on the death penalty.