The 52nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council concluded in Geneva on Wednesday.
The Human Rights Council adopted 43 resolutions, extending 19 thematic and country-specific mandates, and appointed 10 Special Procedure mandate holders.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid participated in the High Level Segment of the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council and addressed the council on 27 February 2023. In his statement, he highlighted the progress made by the government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the promotion and protection of human rights. Minister Shahid also participated in two high level side events and conducted bilateral meetings with several of his counterparts.
The Delegation of Maldives delivered 29 national statements on an array of thematic areas of the Human Rights Council. The Maldives co-sponsored 19 resolutions, including mandate renewal for Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders. Maldives also co-sponsored thematic resolutions on the right to food, efficient public services delivery, democracy and the rule of law, among others.
The Maldives was part of the cross-regional core group that drafted a thematic resolution on the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The main objective of this resolution is to request the Special Rapporteur to convene a one-day expert seminar on the responsibility of business enterprises to respect the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, before the end of 2023. This resolution was adopted by consensus and had more than 60 co-sponsors supporting the resolution at the time of adoption.
The Maldives also co-sponsored 33 joint statements delivered at the Council. This included statements by the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement, among others. The Maldives on behalf of the group of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) delivered a statement at the High-Level Panel Discussion on Voluntary Funds for UPR and urged member states to continue supporting the UPR Voluntary Funds to promote the involvement of SIDS in the UPR process. In addition, Maldives co-sponsored five side events on the areas of combating torture, gender and climate change, innovative solutions to the challenges faced by SIDS, Special Rapporteur on Human rights and Environment’s report women and girls and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and centering victims in state-led investigations of human rights violations.
The Maldives Delegation at the 52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council was led by H.E. Dr. Asim Ahmed, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva. As the Vice President of the Council, representing the Asia Pacific Group, Dr. Asim Ahmed chaired several meetings of the Council.
