The Universal Periodic Review (UPR), conducted by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s UPR Working Group, has commenced its 52nd session.
This session is being held at the United Nations Office in Geneva, at the Palais des Nations. The session will continue over a period of two weeks, concluding on the 15th of this month.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that during this period, the UPR Working Group, established under the UN Human Rights Council will assess the human rights situations in 14 countries. These countries include Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Palau, Paraguay, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Somalia.
A Maldivian delegation is participating in this session, where they will deliver recommendations to the countries under review, in line with the key policies of the Government of the Maldives. The UPR Working Group holds three sessions each year. The ongoing 52nd session is part of the fourth UPR review cycle, which runs from 2022 to 2027.
The UPR is a mechanism established to review the efforts of UN member states in protecting and promoting human rights, as well as to assess progress made. It also provides an opportunity for other member states to propose constructive recommendations aimed at strengthening the implementation of human rights in the countries under review.
The Maldivian delegation attending this session is led by Dr Salma Rasheed, the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Office in Geneva. The delegation includes Counsellor Adam Hamid, Counsellor Uza. Aminath Shifaya Ibrahim, Second Secretary Aishath Rayahyn, and Attaché Raaidh Saeedh from the Permanent Mission.