Human Rights Committee
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant
Initial reports of States parties
Maldives *
[17 February 2010]
Maldives’ initial report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
1.Maldives acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its first Optional Protocol on 19 September 2006. The Covenant and its first Optional Protocol came into force for Maldives on 19 December 2006. The Government of Maldives did not accept the competence of the Human Rights Committee under article 41 of the Covenant.
2.The Government of Maldives is pleased to inform the Human Rights Committee that the initial report of Maldives under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights — to be prepared in accordance with article 40 of the Covenant — is being addressed by the core document (HRI/CORE/MDV/2010). It covers the period from January 2007 to January 2010.
3.Maldives’ core document establishes the constitutional and legal framework for the implementation of the provisions of the Covenant, explains the legal and practical measures adopted to give effect to Covenant rights and includes topics which are congruent to provisions in Parts I, II and III of the Covenant.
4.A number of issues related to civil and political rights were addressed by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women through their concluding observations as well as three special procedures of the Human Rights Council through their recommendations, including the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. The core document takes stock of steps carried out by the Government of Maldives to follow up the above concluding observations and recommendations.
5.Maldives’ core document hence provides an initial review of the implementation of the provisions under the Covenant. It further represents for the Government of Maldives an introductory platform to embark on a constructive dialogue with the Human Rights Committee in the future reporting cycle.
6.Under the first Optional Protocol to the Covenant, during the reporting period September 2007–December 2009, Maldives was not formally advised of any individual communication reviewed by the Human Rights Committee.
7.The relevant sections of the core document have been prepared in accordance with the harmonized guidelines for an expanded core document issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in May 2006 (HRI/MC/2006/3 and Corr.1) and the consolidated guidelines for State reports under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights issued by the Human Rights Committee in February 2001 (CCPR/C/66/GUI/Rev.2).
8.The Government of Maldives will further seek guidance from the Human Rights Committee to improve the quality of its reporting under the Covenant, including through the follow-up to the concluding observations, as part of the common core document.
9.Table 1 below outlines where the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights are addressed in the core document.
Table 1
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights articles addressed in the common core document (HRI/CORE/MDV/2010)
Articles |
Common core document reference |
Article 1 |
Chap. IV, sect. D. Right to self-determination |
Chap. IV, sect. C. Participation in public life |
|
Article 2 |
Chap. IV, sect. A. Non-discrimination and equality |
Chap. IV, sect. B. Effective remedies |
|
Chap. IV, sect. B.3. Remedies available |
|
Article 3 |
Chap. IV, sect. A. Non-discrimination and equality |
Article 4 |
Chap. IV, sect. F. Right to liberty and security of the person |
Article 5 |
Chap. III, sect. B.1. Reservations and declarations |
Article 6 |
Chap. IV, sect. E. Right to life, right to physical and moral integrity, slavery, forced labour and traffic in persons |
Article 7 |
Chap. IV, sect. E. Right to life, right to physical and moral integrity, slavery, forced labour and traffic in persons |
Article 8 |
Chap. IV, sect. E. Right to life, right to physical and moral integrity, slavery, forced labour and traffic in persons |
Article 9 |
Chap. IV, sect. F. Right to liberty and security of the person |
Article 10 |
Chap. IV, sect. F. Right to liberty and security of the person |
Article 11 |
Chap. IV, sect. F. Right to liberty and security of the person |
Article 12 |
Chap. IV, sect. G. Right to freedom of movement, right to access to any public place, expulsion and extradition |
Article 13 |
Chap. IV, sect. G. Right to freedom of movement, right to access to any public place, expulsion and extradition |
Article 14 |
Chap. IV, sect. A. Non-discrimination and equality |
Chap. IV, sect. B.6. Procedural guarantees |
|
Article 15 |
Chap. IV, sect. B. Effective remedies |
Article 16 |
Chap. IV, sect. A. Non-discrimination and equality |
Chap. IV, sect. B. Effective remedies |
|
Article 17 |
Chap. IV, sect. H. Right to privacy, freedom of thought, conscience and religion |
Article 18 |
Chap. IV, sect. H. Right to privacy, freedom of thought, conscience and religion |
Article 19 |
Chap. IV, sect. I. Freedom of opinion and expression |
Article 20 |
Chap. IV, sect. A. Non-discrimination and equality |
Chap. IV, sect. I. Freedom of opinion and expression |
|
Article 21 |
Chap. IV, sect. J. Right to peaceful assembly and association |
Article 22 |
Chap. IV, sect. J. Right to peaceful assembly and association |
Chap. IV, sect. N. Trade union rights |
|
Article 23 |
Chap. IV, sect. K. Right to marry and found a family, protection of the family, mother and children |
Article 24 |
Chap. IV, sect. K. Right to marry and found a family, protection of the family, mother and children |
Chap. IV, sect. C. Participation in public life |
|
Chap. IV, sect. A. Non-discrimination and equality |
|
Article 25 |
Chap. IV, sect. C. Participation in public life |
Article 26 |
Chap. IV, sect. A. Non-discrimination and equality |
Article 27 |
Chap. IV, sect. A. Non-discrimination and equality |
Chap. IV, sect. R. The right to education, other cultural rights |