Maldives at the United Nations
The Maldives applied to join the United Nations on 21 August 1965 – just 25 days after it gained independence on 26 July 1965. The Maldives was accepted as a member of the United Nations on 21 September 1965.
At the time of its application, the members of the United Nations Security Council raised questions on the ability of the “very small States” to carry out the obligations of the United Nations Charter.
However, during the decades since the Maldives membership, it has contributed to the United Nations immensely in terms of advocating for small States, climate change, and gender equality while upholding the ideals and norms that are enshrined in the UN Charter.
As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), the Maldives has been an active member of the United Nations. The Maldives actively participates in the General Assembly including at the High-Level Week. In addition to speaking at the General Assembly, and its committees, the Maldives also gives statements at the United Security Council (UNSC) on issues of importance and priority.
The 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was presided over by Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, under the theme "Presidency of Hope". It was during the 76th Session of UNGA that the Maldives delegations put forth the resolution to proclaim 24 June as International Women in Diplomacy Day. This resolution was passed by a historic support with 191 co-sponsors and 85 signatures as main sponsors.
The Maldives also actively participates in the Commission sessions of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) held in Bangkok, Thailand yearly.
Human Rights Council (HRC)
The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system, made up of 47 members who takes the responsibility for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The main function of HRC is to enable dialogue among States as part of its mandate to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights across the world.
The Human Rights Council holds three regular sessions a year, for a total of at least ten weeks. The sessions take place in March, June, and September. The High-level Segment takes place during the March Session.
The Maldives is a member of the Human Rights Council from 2023-2025. It was previously a member of the Human Rights Council from 2014-2016, and 2011-2013.
The Maldives at the Human Rights Council
- Since its inception in 2006, the HRC has been an important focus for the Maldives’ multilateral engagements.
- Maldives served as a member of the Council for two consecutive terms, from 2011-2013, and 2014-2016, and was the Vice President for the year 2013, representing the Asia Pacific Group (APG). At the time of election in 2010, Maldives was the smallest state to be elected to the Human Rights Council.
- On 1 January 2023, Maldives assumed membership of HRC for the third time, for the term 2023 to 2025. Maldives also serves as one of the Vice Presidents of the Bureau of HRC in 2023, representing the APG.
Maldives’s priorities at the HRC (2023-2025)
- Gender equality and elimination of violence against women and girls.
- Youth advocacy, especially on issues such as climate change.
- Climate change and the Environment, including promoting and protecting the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, and further the understanding of the effects of climate change on the enjoyment of human rights.
- Engagement of civil society and other relevant stakeholders to adopt a whole-of-society approach in the promotion and protection of human rights.
- Enhancing inclusivity of the Human Rights Council, through enhancing participation of under-represented member states in the HRC.
Initiatives undertaken by the Maldives at the HRC
Creation of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Peaceful Assembly, in 2010 (with Indonesia, Nigeria, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Mexico and the USA)
Creation of the Council’s first mandate Holders on the wider question of human rights and environment, initially the Independent Expert on Human Rights & Environment in 2012 (with Costa Rica, Slovenia, and Switzerland) and later became the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Environment in 2015.
Establishment of the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund through resolution 19/26 in 2012. The Maldives, together with Mauritius, also presented resolution on strengthening the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund at the 49th Session of HRC, which became the most co-sponsored resolution at HRC to date.
The Maldives was the lead negotiator of the Third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (on Communications Procedure) and was one of the first signatories to the Optional Protocol.
The Maldives was a co-chair of the core group on Human Rights and Environment (with Costa Rica), which presented the resolution recognizing the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a human right, for the first time, at the 48th Session of HRC. Subsequently, the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly also passed the resolution on a healthy environment as a human right, where Maldives was part of the core group.
Maldives chaired the informal group known as Friends of SIDS in the UPR, to support SIDS countries that do not have missions in Geneva to continue with their UPR process.
Maldives hosted the virtual LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund Workshop for the Asia Region, in collaboration with HRC and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in November/December 2021.
Human Rights Council Membership
Climate Change and Human Rights
In 2004, the Maldives took a decision to integrate human rights promotion fully into the country’s foreign policy. This decision allowed the Maldives to assume a leadership role on key issues, such as the impact of climate change on human rights.
The Maldives succeeded in drawing global attention to the effects of climate change on the full enjoyment of human rights
In 2008, resolution submitted by the Maldives to the UN Human Rights Council on Climate Change and Human Rights was adopted.
The Council accepted the Maldives request to constitute a study to examine the relationship between climate change and the full enjoyment of fundamental human rights.
The Council also accepted the Maldives initiative to establish a special procedure on human rights and the environment.
