The 43rd Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) commenced at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Monday. The session will continue for a period of two weeks and will conclude on 12 May 2023. The UPR Working Group holds three sessions every year. The Fourth Cycle review of the UPR began in November 2022 and will conclude in 2027.
In line with the government’s key policies and priorities, the Maldives delegation will actively engage in this Session of the UPR and will present constructive recommendations to all 14 States that will be reviewed at the Session.
The Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Offices in Geneva His Excellency Dr. Asim Ahmed, in his capacity as the Vice President of the Human Rights Council will be chairing some of the reviews that would take place at this session.
The Maldives delegation for the 43rd Session of the UPR will be led by His Excellency Dr Asim Ahmed, Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Offices in Geneva. The delegation will include Ms Hawla Ahmed Didi, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Maldives Mission, Mr. Hassan Hussain Shihab, Counsellor of the Maldives Mission, Ms. Aminath Shifaya Ibrahim, Counsellor of the Maldives Mission and Ms Maryam Fathika Fayaz, Second Secretary of the Maldives Mission.
The UPR is a State-driven process which involves a review of the human rights record of all UN Member States. The process provides the States under review with the opportunity to declare actions taken to improve the human rights situations in their respective countries and allows fellow Member States to provide commendations for these actions and constructive recommendations on how the States can further fulfil their human rights obligations. Each State review is assisted by groups of three States, known as “troikas”, who serve as rapporteurs. The Maldives as a member of the Human Rights Council has been selected to be represented in the Troika for the review of the Kingdom of Tonga.
The UPR mechanism is designed to give equal treatment to every country when their human rights situation is assessed, with the objective of improving human rights situations in all countries.
