The United Nations (UN) Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls has commended the progress achieved by the Maldives in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UN Working Group made the remarks during a briefing session for relevant stakeholders in the Maldives following the conclusion of their visit to the Maldives from September 11-22.
During the session, the Government of the Maldives expressed gratitude to the UN Working Group for accepting its standing invitation to all human rights special procedures mandate holders, to visit the Maldives. Melissa Upreti, the Chair-Rapporteur of the UN Working Group, thanked the government for extending the invitation and for the cooperation and support provided to her and her team throughout their visit.
At the session, the UN Working Group briefed the representatives from government ministries and other relevant stakeholders present, on the preliminary findings of their visit. The UN Working Group positively noted the progress achieved by the Maldives in the scope of their work, especially the Gender Equality Act, the positive engagement in the UPR process, the creation of the National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-up, as well as the formulation of the National Gender Equality Action Plan. The UN Working Group also noted a number of areas that require action on the part of the government in order to further improve the conditions for women and girls.
During the visit, the UN Working Group met with a number of interlocutors, including those from the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, the Supreme Court, and other important stakeholders. The UN Working Group also travelled to Kulhudhuffushi City in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Maduvvari in Raa Atoll, and Guraidhoo and Maafushi in Kaafu Atoll.
The UN Working Group will present its final report on this visit, to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2023. The Maldives will endeavour to deliver on the recommendations and respond to any further queries by the Working Group and other UN bodies.
The UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls is the second special procedures mandate holder of the UN Human Rights Council to visit the Maldives this year. Earlier this year, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism visited the Maldives from May 15-24.
The Maldives first extended a standing invitation to all thematic special procedures in 2006 and later reaffirmed this standing invitation in 2019. Since then, the UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights Karima Bennoune, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Nils Melzer, and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention have undertaken visits to the Maldives.
The UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls is a special procedures mandate holder of the UN Human Rights Council that was first established in 2010, on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice. The UN Working Group is composed of five independent experts of balanced geographical representation, working collectively as a group and producing work in the name of the mandate.