MALDIVES, 10 December 2016: the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Maldives, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Maldives, and the Attorney General’s Office are proud to have developed a National Human Rights Action Plan for the Islands.
On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day on December 10th, the Attorney General unveiled the framework in Maldives outlining the human rights objectives and its linkages to sustainable development goals.
Speaking at the ceremony, UNFPA Maldives Country Director, Mr Alain Sibenaler, stated that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. This principle is the pillar of the United Nation’s work in the Maldives and throughout the world”.
The National Human Rights Framework aims to mainstream human rights and human rights based approaches into policy-making and development planning of the country. With 14 outcome areas on promotion, protection and fulfilment of social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights, the framework identifies linkages to sustainable development goals with a particular focus on the protection of vulnerable groups within the communities.
Reproductive health and rights is one important area for UNFPA to strengthen access to information and services. With such a holistic framework, it is an opportunity to mainstream reproductive health education in the school curriculum and to expand the health services to meet the needs of the most vulnerable groups in Maldives.
One of the focus areas of the 6th UNFPA Country Programme is to have a tracking & reporting system to ensure follow up on the implementation of the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review and Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, to which Maldives is a signatory.
READ the National Human Right Framework
