The Attorney General (AG) Ahmed Usham has announced that the Maldives is committed to advancing the rights and protection of foreign workers, promising to align domestic policies with contemporary global development standards.
The commitment was delivered during the review of the Maldives' compliance report under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) held from 18 to 19 November 18.
Leading the Maldivian delegation, AG Usham addressed the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, stating that while challenges in managing foreign labour affairs are recognised, the measures taken to provide protection to foreign expatriate workers will be expanded to ensure their treatment reflects modern human rights norms.
He affirmed that adherence to the provisions of the Convention is not only a legal responsibility but an obligation linked to the principles of equality and non-discrimination guaranteed by the Maldives Constitution.
The review session focused on the Maldives' 13th to 15th Periodic Review Report, which detailed the country’s efforts to combat racial discrimination between 2011 and June 2022.
The Maldivian delegation, which included Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusan and Maldives' Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Dr Salma Rasheed, engaged in two virtual sessions responding to detailed questions from Committee members regarding the implementation of the Convention.
Maldives ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 1984. Following the two-day review, the UN Committee is expected to share its concluding observations and recommendations, which will guide further policy amendments in the island nation.