The Parliament of the Maldives has approved the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in the Maldives.
On June 24, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih decided to ratify the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR, following consultations with his cabinet. The protocol was reviewed by the parliament and passed with votes from 55 parliamentarians.
The optional protocol facilitates the ability of individuals and organisations to submit complaints regarding violations of the rights guaranteed to them by the main body of the treaty. The optional protocol was approved by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 10, 2008. It was opened for signature by UNGA member states on September 24, 2009.
The Maldives signed the optional protocol on September 21, 2011. However, it has not yet been incorporated into domestic legislation through parliamentary approval and presidential ratification, as prescribed in the constitution. During the discussions on ratifying the protocol, the cabinet expressed their unanimous agreement that ratifying the protocol will raise the profile of the Maldives as a country committed to human rights and aligns with the key foreign policy priorities.
Presently, of the 45 different states that have signed the optional protocol, 24 states have ratified the treaty.