Maldives is participating in the 50th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) commenced on Monday at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.
The session will run for two weeks and conclude on 14 November. During this period, the United Nations Human Rights Council’s UPR Working Group will examine the human rights records of fourteen States including Andorra, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Honduras, Jamaica, Libya, Liberia, Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Marshall Islands, Panama, and the United States of America.
The Maldives will undergo its fourth Universal Periodic Review on 5 November where it represents an important opportunity for the island nation to reaffirm commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights through engagement with international mechanisms.
Guided by the Government’s key policies and priorities, the Maldives delegation will actively participate in the session and provide constructive recommendations to all other States under review, the Ministry said.
The UPR Working Group convenes three sessions annually. The Fourth Cycle of the UPR began in November 2022 and will conclude in 2027. The UPR is a State-driven process that involves a comprehensive review of the human rights situation in all UN Member States. This mechanism offers each State the opportunity to report on progress made in fulfilling its human rights obligations and commitments, while also allowing peer Member States to provide constructive recommendations for further improvement.
Each State review is facilitated by a group of three Member States, known as the “troika”, who serve as rapporteurs for the process. The Maldives, as a member of the Human Rights Council, has been selected to serve on the Troika for the review of Jamaica during this session.
The Maldives delegation to the 50th Session is led by Dr Salma Rasheed, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva, and includes Counsellor Adam Hamid, Counsellor Aminath Shifaya Ibrahim, Second Secretary Aishath Rayahyn, and Attaché Raaidh Saeedh from the Permanent Mission.
As Vice President of the Human Rights Council, representing the Asia-Pacific Group, Permanent Representative Dr Salma will also chair meetings of the UPR session.