Ref: 2025/PR/201
The 59th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council concluded in Geneva today. During the Session, the Council adopted 26 resolutions and one decision and appointed two Special Procedures Mandate Holders.
The Maldives maintained an active presence in the Council delivering national statements on a wide range of thematic areas and co-sponsored several resolutions aligning with key government priorities. The resolutions that Maldives co-sponsored include, among others, resolutions on human rights and climate change, the right to education, the empowerment of women and girls in and through sport, as well as on new and emerging digital technologies and their implications for human rights.
Several joint statements were co-sponsored by the Maldives on important issues such as promoting the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, enhancing accessibility to artificial intelligence for developing countries, facilitating technical assistance for States exposed to structural vulnerabilities, and adopting a human rights-based approach to the 2026 Water Conference.
The Maldives was part of the cross-regional core group of the resolution on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. The resolution recognised the importance of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association for the full enjoyment of civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The resolution also emphasised the importance for all States to promote, free, open, interoperable, reliable and secure use of and access to the Internet. This resolution was adopted by consensus with 69 co-sponsors supporting the resolution at the time of adoption.
The Maldives delegation for the 59th Session of the Human Rights Council was led by Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Dr. Salma Rasheed. The delegation included Counsellor Adam Hamid, Counsellor Uza. Aminath Shifaya Ibrahim, Second Secretary Aishath Rayahyn, Second Secretary Amr Danyal Shamun, and Attaché Raaidh Saeedh from the Permanent Mission.
ENDS