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Maldives to actively participate in the 44th UNHRC Session

Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed the Maldives will be actively engaged in the 44th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, which takes place from June 30 to July 20.

The foreign ministry stated the Maldivian delegation is set for active engagement in the UNHRC Session, with the new modalities set in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the Maldivian delegation is set to actively engage in interactive dialogues, panel discussions and participate in discussions of key resolutions.

Detailing the engagement of the Maldives in the UNHRC Session, the foreign ministry revealed as part of the Core Group with Australia, Botswana, Hungary, Mexico and Thailand, the Maldives will be putting forth the Resolution on the Independence of judges and lawyers. The ministry further noted the Maldives will table the Resolution on Universality, together with Australia, Fiji, Mexico, and Bulgaria.

As the co-chair and on behalf of the Informal Group of SIDS group along with Haiti, the Maldives is also set to lead a cross regional joint statement under the Panel Discussion on Climate Change, and Annual Panel on Technical Cooperation. As part of regional and political groups including the OIC and Non-Aligned Movement, the Maldives has shared concerns of the human rights atrocities that are escalating around the world and will address some of these concerns as well as endeavour to promote and protect human rights for all. In this regard, the Maldives will be delivering a statement on the issue of human rights situations in Syria, Palestine and on the Rohingya Muslim minorities in Myanmar.

The priorities of the Maldives at the UNHRC include women’s rights, climate change and environment, and respect for rule of law and democracy. The Maldives will actively engage and co-sponsor several resolutions relating to violence against women, climate change and human rights, as well as human trafficking.

The Maldivian delegation at the UNHRC will be headed by Dr. Hala Hameed, who is the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the UN Office at Geneva.