The Maldives has presented its progress on safeguarding children’s rights before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child during a two-day review session in Geneva, marking a key moment of international scrutiny of the nation's social and legal commitments.
The review, held from 12 to 13 January 2026, examined the Maldives’ combined sixth and seventh periodic reports under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Maldives has been a party since February 1991. The reports outline measures taken between 2016 and 2021 to align national laws, policies and institutions with the Convention’s obligations.
Appearing before the Committee, the Maldivian delegation responded to a wide range of questions from experts, addressing legislative reforms, child protection mechanisms and efforts to strengthen education and social welfare systems in the years since the last review.
Leading the delegation, Attorney General Ahmed Usham underscored the government’s position that children remain central to the nation’s future. In his statement, he described the Convention as a guiding framework for Maldivian governance, reaffirming a commitment to ensure that every child grows up in dignity, safety and with a meaningful voice in society.
The delegation included Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan, alongside senior officials from the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Social and Family Development, and Education, as well as representatives from the Maldives’ Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
The UN Committee is expected to issue its concluding observations and recommendations in the coming weeks, setting out areas of progress and concern, and offering guidance for the Maldives’ next phase of reforms in advancing the rights and wellbeing of children.