Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has stated that the Maldives is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights. He made the remark in his address at the High-Level Segment of the 52nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Speaking at the session, Minister Shahid highlighted that the foreign policy of the Maldives is premised on promoting human rights, good governance, and combating climate change. He said that since President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih assumed office in 2018, the Maldives has been on a path to strengthening democracy and good governance at home and abroad.
As such, Minister Shahid said the Maldives has renewed its commitment to democratic principles through extensive legislative reform and policy. He said it includes new laws to strengthen accountability for the judiciary, secure the right to free association, and protect the right to a fair trial. He added it also includes changes to enhance the independence and accountability of the UNHRC.
Additionally, Minister Shahid said the Maldives is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights as well as gender equality. He said Decentralisation Act in 2019 was amended to allocate 30% of local council seats to women. He further noted that the Maldives withdrew several reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 2020 and launched the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) platform for women leaders under the Maldivian presidency of the 76th of the UNGA in 2022.
Furthermore, Minister Shahid warned of the threat of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. He noted that the Maldives contributes less than 0.01% of global carbon emissions yet is among the first to face the disproportionate effects of climate change. He said an equitable world cannot leave the least contributors to foot the bill of climate change alone and he welcomed the historic outcome of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) to establish a dedicated fund to assist developing countries in responding to loss and damages due to climate change. He added that the Maldives looks forward to its operationalisation at COP28 and further multilateral efforts.