News & press releases

Maldives delegation to actively participate at the 32nd Session of the Universal Period Review

22 January 2019

Geneva, Switzerland;

The 32nd Session of the Universal Periodic Review commenced at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, on 21st January 2019. This two-week session concludes on 1st February 2019. In line with the priority the Maldives accords to the UN Human Rights Council and its mechanisms, the delegation of the Republic of Maldives will actively participate at this session of the Universal Periodic Review and will present constructive recommendations to the 14 States that are to be reviewed at the Session.

The 14 countries to be reviewed at this 32nd session are New Zealand, Afghanistan, Chile, Vietnam, Uruguay, Yemen, Vanuatu, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Comoros, Slovakia, Eritrea, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, and Cambodia.

The Maldives is represented at the UPR Session by the Permanent Representative of Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Her Excellency Dr Hala Hameed, Deputy Permanent Representative Ms Hawla Ahmed Didi, and Ms Aishath Shahula First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Maldives to United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare actions taken to improve the human rights situations in their respective countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations. With the objective to improve human rights situations in all countries, and also addressing violations of human rights wherever they may occur, the UPR mechanism is designed to give equal treatment to every country when their human rights situation is assessed.

The Universal Periodic Review Working Group holds three two-week sessions per year and currently, the UPR is holding its Third Cycle review of the countries which began on 2017 and will conclude on 2021.

The Maldives will be reviewed in April/May 2020 at the 36th Session of the Universal Period Review.

ENDS.