The Maldives has delivered 29 national statements on an array of thematic areas at the 52nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland. The council adopted 43 resolutions, extending 19 thematic and country-specific mandates, and appointed 10 special procedure mandate holders.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid participated and addressed in the High-Level Segment of the UNHRC. In his statement, Minister Shahid highlighted the progress made by the government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the promotion and protection of human rights. He also participated in two high-level side events and conducted bilateral meetings with several of his counterparts.
The delegation of the Maldives delivered 29 national statements on an array of thematic areas of the UNHRC. The Maldives co-sponsored 19 resolutions, including mandate renewal for the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders. The Maldives also co-sponsored thematic resolutions on the right to food, efficient public service delivery, democracy, and the rule of law, among others.
The Maldives was part of the cross-regional core group that drafted a thematic resolution on the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The main objective of this resolution is to request the Special Rapporteur to convene a one-day expert seminar on the responsibility of business enterprises to respect the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, before the end of 2023. The resolution was adopted by consensus and had more than 60 co-sponsors supporting the resolution at the time of adoption.
The Maldives also co-sponsored 33 joint statements delivered at the UNHRC including statements by the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), among others. The Maldives on behalf of the group of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) delivered a statement at the High-Level Panel Discussion on Voluntary Funds for Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and urged member states to continue supporting the UPR Voluntary Funds to promote the involvement of SIDS in the UPR process. In addition, the Maldives co-sponsored five side events on the areas of combating torture, gender, and climate change, innovative solutions to the challenges faced by SIDS.
The delegation of the Maldives was led by Dr. Asim Ahmed, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Office in Geneva. As the Vice President of the Council, representing the Asia Pacific Group, he chaired several meetings of the UNHRC.