COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD EXAMINES THE REPORT OF MALDIVES

The Committee on the Rights of the Child today considered the combined fourth and fifth periodic report of Maldives on its implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Presenting the report, Mohamed Anil, Attorney General and Minister in Charge of the Ministry of Law and Gender, said that Maldives had achieved five out of the eight Millennium Development Goals and had made considerable progress in the field of health. His Government’s commitment to the rights of the child was illustrated by the adoption of an ambitious legislative framework to strengthen the legal protection of children. In Maldives, the social framework, as well as historic and traditional values, were intimately linked to Islamic practices, and Islam formed the basis of the Constitution and the laws. Calls to introduce values and practices contrary to Islam would therefore not be accepted by the people of Maldives. Maldives had maintained a high enrolment rate and ensured free education for every child below 18, without discrimination. Despite remarkable progress, Maldives continued to face challenges resulting from the high economic cost of bringing the systemic changes envisioned in the 2008 Constitution.

In the interactive discussion, Committee Experts welcomed achievements by Maldives in the field of health and the realization of the Millennium Development Goals. They expressed deep concerns, however, about the possibility in law of the death penalty and other corporal punishments, including flogging, being used against juvenile offenders in cases of Hudud offences. Concerns were also raised as regard to violence against girls, including allegations of female genital mutilation, child marriage, and discrimination in relation with inheritance. The high rate of divorce was also a matter that the Committee addressed significantly, with Experts asking what measures had been taken to ensure that the best interest of the child was given due consideration. Other issues discussed pertained to sex tourism, inclusive education for children with disabilities, foster care, and restrictions to freedom of association and the work of non-governmental organizations.

In concluding remarks, Clarence Nelson, Member of the Committee and Rapporteur for Maldives, thanked the delegation for its participation in the dialogue, and expressed hope that new measures would be passed, implemented and fully operational by the next time Maldives was under review by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Mr. Anil, in his closing remarks, expressed his Government’s commitment to cooperate with the Committee and to give due consideration to its recommendations and support.

Benyam Dawit Mezmur, Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Rapporteur for Maldives, welcomed Maldives’ commitment to its reporting obligations under the Convention. He encouraged the prompt adoption and implementation of new laws impacting children.

The delegation of Maldives included representatives of the Ministry of Law and Gender, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Attorney General’s Office and the Permanent Mission of Maldives to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will next meet in public on Wednesday, 20 January at 10 a.m., to consider in Chamber A the combined second to fourth periodic report of Zambia (CRC/C/ZMB/2-4), and the combined third to fifth periodic report of Benin (CRC/C/BEN/3-5) in Chamber B.

Report

The combined fourth and fifth periodic report of Maldives can be found here: CRC/C/MDV/4-5.

Presentation of the Report

MOHAMED ANIL, Attorney General and Minister in Charge of the Ministry of Law and Gender of Maldives, presenting the report, recalled that Maldives had recently celebrated 50 years of independence, and assured of his Government’s commitment to protect the rights of children. Maldives had achieved five out of the eight Millennium Development Goals, and had considerably reduced infant and maternal mortality, and increased literacy. Vaccine-preventable diseases were non-existent in the country, while malaria had been successfully controlled and HIV/AIDS prevalence remained low.

The 2008 Constitution provided a solid framework for safeguarding and promoting the welfare and rights of children, and guaranteed non-discrimination and State assistance. The Government was working on an ambitious legislative framework to strengthen the legal protection of children through the adoption of a new Child Rights Protection Bill, which would internalize the Convention on the Rights of the Child into domestic law. The newly drafted Social Work Bill intended to introduce a care system harmonized with existing protection laws. The Juvenile Justice Bill, which was currently in front of the Parliament, would modernize the juvenile justice system and outline a comprehensive set of rights for minors in conflict with the law. The Gender Equality Bill, once passed, would cement national standards on gender equality and place national policies in line with the Convention. In addition, the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, the Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Abuse Act, and the Sexual Offences Act had strengthened the legal framework for the protection of women, children and other vulnerable groups from violence and sexual abuse.

In addition to structural measures, the Government recognized the importance of cultivating values that promoted child rights. Maldives, for example, had achieved near universal school enrolment, including gender parity, several years before the country made primary and secondary enrolment compulsory. Maldives maintained a high enrolment rate for both primary and secondary education, and ensured free education for every child below 18, without discrimination. The inclusive education policy had greatly enhanced access to education for children with disabilities, with the establishment of 54 specialized education needs units within mainstream schools across the country. By the end of 2016 there would be at least one teacher trained to attend to children with special needs in all schools in the country. In Maldives, the social framework, as well as historic and traditional values, were intimately linked to Islamic practices, and Islam formed the basis of the Constitution and the laws. Calls to introduce values and practices contrary to Islam would therefore not be accepted by the people of Maldives. In the capital Male, the Children’s Home had been the main shelter for child victims of abuse since 2005, and additional safe homes had been established in four different atolls to provide immediate protection to victims. Once adopted, the Child Rights Bill would provide a strong legal basis for foster care. Despite remarkable progress, Maldives continued to face challenges resulting for the most part from the high economic cost of bringing the systemic changes envisioned in the 2008 Constitution on all parts of its fragmented territory.

Questions by the Experts

BENYAM DAWIT MEZMUR, Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Rapporteur for Maldives, congratulated Maldives for signing the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and encouraged its prompt ratification. He noted that Maldives had made reservations to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and asked whether the Government had considered withdrawing them. He regretted that some issues, such as shared parenting and inter-agency coordination, had not been addressed in the State party report. Further, he raised the issue of the juvenile justice system and penalties against children who had committed Hudud offenses. Finally, he asked for further information as regard the implementation of policies, including their coordination and funding dimensions. Turning to the definition of a child, the Chairperson noted that Maldives considered a child any person below the age of 18, but that exceptions existed. He asked for further clarification in that regard.

CLARENCE NELSON, Member of the Committee and Rapporteur for Maldives, underlined the importance of data collection in the area of children’s rights. He asked whether a national database in relation to children had been established in the country. Continuing, he noted that the large majority of complaints addressed to the National Human Rights Commission related to child rights issues. Therefore, he asked whether the Government would consider appointing a person in charge specifically with such issues. On that same issue, he was concerned that the Supreme Court had reportedly imposed restrictions on the Commission’s ability to report to the United Nations, and asked for further clarifications. Also, he noted with concern that the budget allocated to the work of the Commission had been reduced.

Continuing, he asked about measures taken to support child protection services in atolls. On the dissemination of the Convention, he asked whether the Convention had been officially translated into the Maldivian language, and whether it was part of the compulsory school curriculum for children in the country. What measures had been carried to counter the false idea that the Convention was contrary to the precepts of Islam? With regard to the private sector, he expressed concerns about child sex tourism in Maldives, and asked whether special laws held hotel resorts and perpetrators accountable. Had measures been taken to address sexual abuse cases, including through the training of judges and the creation of shelters for victims? Had measures been taken to ensure the protection of child victims during the pre-trial process?

On harmful practices, he said that public statements by clerics considered female genital mutilation as a “good Islamic practice”, and asked whether specific laws prohibited that practice. On corporal punishment, he regretted that flogging was still used, and referred to the case of a fifteen-year-old girl prosecuted for fornication and sentenced to flogging. He then asked for details, including figures and circumstances, regarding child offenders sentenced to life in prison.

Another Expert noted that, despite efforts, problems remained regarding discrimination against children. First of all, the Constitution required that citizens be Muslims, meaning that non-Muslims were excluded from citizenship. What happened when a child was born from a woman from Maldives and a non-Muslim foreigner? In addition, discrimination against children born out of wedlock remained. Girls continued to face discrimination, she noted, as strong gender stereotypes continued within families. Girls’ were discriminated against in terms of inheritance. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children were also victims of persistent discrimination. Those children should not be punished for their sexual orientation, she insisted. Lastly, she asked what measures had been adopted to ensure that children from minorities had access to birth registration.

On freedom of expression, an Expert welcomed the broad access to the internet for children in the county, and asked whether measures had been taken to protect children against harmful digital content. Were there any programmes to combat harassment and bullying in schools, particularly in the context of access to social media? Continuing, she regretted that children below 18 seemed not to be allowed to have access to associations. The Committee was concerned about censorship in the media and the lack of access to appropriate information by children in schools and libraries. On the family environment, the Expert said that the Committee was very concerned about issues related to divorce, and asked what was being done to ensure that the best interest of the child was systematically taken into account. Was reconciliation promoted before a divorce was pronounced? Could the State party provide information on child custody? Would the Government undertake a study to identify and address the root causes of divorce? She noted that Maldives had decided to promote human rights from the perspective of Sharia law, and asked whether universal human rights were being equally promoted.

An Expert asked whether measures had been taken to promote the involvement of children in the process of adopting policies affecting them. She welcomed that Maldives had a telephone line available for children to file complaints, and asked what follow-up was given to those complaints once received. She then asked a question about codes of conduct referred to in the State party’s report, and about the involvement of children in protests, and circumstances in which children had been injured as a result of such participation. Then, she asked for the differences between formal and alternative birth registrations. Lastly, she referred to climate change and its impact on the children in Maldives.

An Expert raised the issue of minimum age for criminal responsibility and the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders in cases of Hudud offenses.

Replies from the Delegation

On the legal framework, the lack of resources made it still unclear as to the outcome of the decision on whether to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Maldives had no plan of withdrawing its reservations to the Convention. Inter-agency coordination would be dealt with by a national body, composed of representatives of the Government and non-governmental organizations. Both the Child Rights Bill and the Juvenile Justice Bill had been drafted after consulting with United Nations agencies, and would be passed by Parliament as soon as possible.

The definition of a child was every person below the age of 18, with the exception of marriage-related legal provisions. The age of criminal responsibility was 10 and above. Minors between 10 and 15 had the benefit of an excused defence, while minors between the ages of 15 and 18 had the benefit of an excused defence subject to rebuttal by prosecution. The death penalty could in theory be provided for in cases of Hudud offenses. That had happened in five cases. Four of them concerned children, two of whom were 17 and one that was 15. The sentence had been carried out after the children had turned 18. Maldives however had currently implemented a de facto moratorium on the use of the death penalty. A delegate noted that there was no international agreement on that issue.

The appointment of a person within the Office of the Ombudsman working specifically on child rights had been considered. The Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the National Human Rights Commission required that body to use objective and verified information. That Commission was a State-established body that should follow established procedures in the Constitution. The Government was fully committed to guaranteeing its independence and impartiality, and to allocate adequate resources for its functioning.

The Government would work on a new social protection database that would support efforts to address the needs of all vulnerable groups, including children.

Every atoll had a child protection centre, with staff properly trained to deal with child-related issues. Continuous training courses for social workers were held in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund. Services from social centres were always monitored by the Government, a delegate added.

A child helpline had been established in 2009 to ensure that children had a way to ask for protection. Any child in the country could call that helpline 24 hours a day and for free. Around 2000 calls had been received in 2015. Calls were being handled and dealt with according to the procedure manual established by the Government.

On the issue of harmful practices, a delegate said that reports that female genital mutilation was increasing in the country had no basis. Female genital mutilation was not practised in Maldives, he insisted. The question of prosecution was therefore irrelevant. That practice was banned by provisions in the Constitution and the Anti-Torture Act. He regretted that it was always assumed that Muslim countries had cases of female genital mutilation.

On the question of sex tourism, a delegate said that, as an important tourist destination, Maldives suffered negative stereotypes. When cases of sex tourism arose, they were dealt with and prosecuted. Anyone who went into or out of a hotel resort was monitored, and trafficking was not made possible.

Maldives had been very active in disseminating information on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights instruments. Human rights clubs were formed in all schools, aimed at raising children’s awareness on human rights in accordance with the principles of Islam. Campaigns had been conducted to raise children and parents’ awareness on child rights, with the support of non-governmental and civil society organizations.

On discrimination, the Constitution made it clear that every child born of a Maldivian, including a Maldivian woman, was a Maldivian. The right of inheritance was covered by Sharia law. Similarly, on the issue of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children, the applicable legislation was based on the precepts of Islam and Sharia law. There was no gender discrimination in terms of access to education or health services.

The Government was committed to ensuring universal inclusive education for all children in the country. Child protection within the school setting took on many aspects, a delegate said.

With regards to cyber-crimes, the Government was collaborating with non-governmental organizations to promote safe Internet browsing. Other programmes included awareness raising campaigns, training for school personnel, and risk assessment initiatives. The Ministry of Law and Gender had published booklets for parents with guidelines for Internet safety.

Children enjoyed the right to freedom of association. They were not allowed to initiate associations as founding members, but were allowed to join associations.

Access to information was a right guaranteed by the Constitution and laws for all citizens, including children. Media censorship was prohibited.

In cases of divorce, custody was decided with due consideration to the best interest of the child. All divorces were judicially processed. Studies were being undertaken to analyse the social impact of the high divorce rate in the country. The Ministry of Law and Gender had started a programme on prenuptial agreements to minimize the effects of divorce.

The new child rights legislation would contain provisions encouraging the participation of children.

On corporal punishment and the case of a fifteen-year-old girl prosecuted for fornication and sentenced to flogging, the case was appealed by the State on behalf of the child and the case had been overturned by the High Court. There had been no case of flogging for children other than that particular one.

Questions by Experts

CLARENCE NELSON, Member of the Committee and Rapporteur for Maldives, moving to the second round of questions, noted that there was a drug abuse problem among young persons in Maldives and asked what was being done to tackle that issue. Was there a programme that specifically targeted child users? Was shelter provided to protect child users? Were initiatives taken to prosecute dealers? Did the Government undertake awareness raising campaigns in schools to prevent the use of drugs? He then regretted the lack of data on suicide, and asked whether measures had been taken to address that issue.

On juvenile justice, Mr. Nelson strongly regretted that the new reform would not ban corporal punishment or the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders. He demanded clarification and details on cases of children who were prosecuted in past years. In relation to the representation of children, he asked whether accused children had access to legal aid. Were there separate detention facilities for juvenile offenders? Were male and female juvenile offenders separated? Were there juvenile courts outside of the capital?

An Expert regretted the lack of statistics regarding children with disabilities and their access to services. He noted that children with Down syndrome faced negative stereotypes and asked whether measures had been taken to tackle that problem.

On education, concerns were raised regarding drop-out rates among girls. Additionally, concerns were voiced regarding hate speech being promoted within text books in schools, which also promoted negative stereotypes on girls.

On family, an Expert noted the prohibition of adoption, and asked further questions about children separated from their parents, for example in the case of parents being in detention. What happened to children born in detention services?

Experts noted progress achieved by Maldives in the field of health. The Committee Chairperson raised questions about mental health facilities, the role of religious leaders in terms of promoting access to services, as well as about vaccination at school and whether parents could refuse such services.

The Chairperson recalled that the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict did not concern States in a situation of conflict only. He then asked questions about the minimum age for enrolment in the army, and the age at which children had been known to take part in gang activities.

An Expert pointed out that an Attorney General from Maldives had referred to the reviving of the practice of female genital mutilation.

A Committee member asked whether the Government was looking into setting up a juvenile justice system compatible with the Convention, with a strict prohibition of the death penalty to be pronounced against anyone below 18. Another Expert insisted that international law was clear on the matter: sentencing children to the death penalty was strictly prohibited. It was of great concern for the Committee that courts could pronounce such sentence, regardless of whether the death penalty was applied in practice or not.

An Expert said he would like a reply to the question on children being harmed after participating in public protests.

Replies from the Delegation

The Government was committed to combat drug abuse, including through extensive legal provisions that tackled the different aspects of that issue. Measures had been taken to ensure the rehabilitation of former drug addicts. Drug trafficking was punished by law. The Ministry of Education did drug prevention work with schools.

All health facilities would identify mental health focal points, a delegate said.

Very young children had been injured following their involvement in political rallies, a delegate said, which had been a matter of concern for the Government. Political parties had been fined as a result of those events.

As part of its strategy of eradicating gang violence, programmes had been conducted at the local level to prevent the enrolment of children in such violence, including at island level. To reduce the number of children involved in gang-related violence, awareness-raising initiatives had been carried out in schools.

There were no child-focused budget allocations at the moment, a delegate recognized. Discussions on that issue were however ongoing.

Maldives had a mental health policy for 2016, under which an advisory board would be formed with various stakeholders, in charge of addressing that issue. The policy would also tackle drug addiction.

The existing framework for juvenile justice was under revision. The Juvenile Justice Bill would introduce new norms focused on pre-trial justice, including minimum standards for investigations, detention conditions and the judicial process in relation to juvenile offenders. Its aim was to promote alternatives to detention. Under the Constitution, the State had a mandate to provide legal representation to those accused of criminal offenses and who could not afford such aid. That included children if their parents were unable to afford it. Children in detention were kept in separate facilities. Men and women were separated as well.

Moving on to children with disabilities, a delegate recognized that challenges remained as regard to data collection. Huge progress had however been made in providing assistance to persons with disabilities, including children. Maldives was in the process of establishing a national database on social protection. Disability Ambassadors Awards were being offered to those who supported persons with disabilities. In the school setting, inclusive education was being promoted through many policy decisions. All 50 specialist units were functioning through mainstream education facilities. Progress was being made for the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. The lack of human resources remained a challenge to efforts in favour of inclusive education.

Follow-up Questions by the Experts

An Expert pointed at challenges facing the registration of children with disabilities, and asked whether the Government had looked into ways to address those challenges. There were low-populated islands where children with disabilities could not access support services. What was being done to ensure that their needs were being met?

Replies from the Delegation

A lot of sporting events and entertainment programmes had been carried out, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations, to reach children with disabilities. The Government was working on establishing a database which would provide more accurate figures on the number and situation of persons with disabilities. Registration was indeed a huge challenge, and support centres were involved in addressing it. Progress had also been achieved in relation to social housing for persons and children with disabilities. Challenges also remained in reaching small islands.

On education, textbook material production was a continuous process, a delegate said. New teaching materials would be provided for in the near future, in respect with the principles of Islam and with the rights of the child being duly integrated in school curricula. Maldives had achieved universal enrolment rate for girls from grade one to grade 10. Data on lower and higher secondary school completion exams showed that girls were increasingly outperforming boys. Education was compulsory even for children under house arrest. Most children currently in detention were above the age of 16. Maldives was currently working with the United Nations Children’s Fund to develop alternative education systems for them.

The Child Rights Bill would address gaps relating to child labour and harmonize the national legislation with the provisions of the Convention.

Children separated from their parents as a result of their parents being in detention had a legal right to visit them. Children born in detention had a right to be kept with their mother in separate facilities until the age of two.

Follow-up Question by an Expert

An Expert asked what the exact number of children in detention with their mothers was.

Replies from the Delegation

Maldives had conducted awareness raising campaigns to promote breastfeeding. The rates were high, and the average duration of breastfeeding was of almost two years in the country. The current policies in place to protect women allowed for maternity leave for up to one year after the birth of a child.

Refusing vaccination would be an offense. Failure to provide the vaccination card would not lead to a refusal of a child being enrolled in school. In such a case, the situation would be flagged to the Government and measures would be taken to implement the immunization programme.

There was no armed conflict in Maldives, and as a result no children were involved in an armed conflict. Although there was no report that children had been recruited to take part in terrorist activities, the Government remained vigilant and worked closely with its partners internationally. The counter-terrorism legislation criminalized the participation or intention to participate in terrorist activities, which would serve as an efficient deterrent. In the presence of cases of minors who left to engage in terrorist activities abroad, rehabilitation programmes would be implemented.

Follow-up Questions by the Experts

An Expert welcomed the promotion of a culture of peace as part as the school curriculum, and asked whether measures had been taken to disseminate the provisions of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict.

A second Expert asked whether the national legislation provided for extraterritorial jurisdiction for acts committed abroad. The Committee’s Chairperson welcomed that Maldives had received a visit from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict, and asked whether it had implemented some of the recommendations.

On the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, an Expert asked whether crimes covered by that text were being addressed in Maldives’ criminal law.

Another Committee member asked to which extent civil society organizations were being consulted on matters affecting children. He then referred to allegations of harassment of human rights defenders, and asked whether such allegations had been investigated, prevented and prosecuted.

Concern was voiced at the fact that domestic violence was under reported in Maldives. Was the helpline accessible to children in remote regions? Was redress provided to them and their families?

The Chairperson reiterated questions relating to the definition of the child and the minimum age to marry.

A member of the Committee expressed concern regarding the negative impact of climate change on children, including extreme natural disasters, and asked what was being done to help warn children on steps to follow in case of such disasters.

An Expert asked whether abortion was criminalized in Maldives.

Replies from the Delegation

The Government maintained very good relations and cooperation with civil society and non-governmental organizations, including those working on social protection and disabilities. Cases of intimidation against human rights defenders would be dealt with by the National Human Rights Commission, and could be sent to the Prosecutor’s Office.

On domestic violence, a delegate recognized that some cases may not be reported. Training and awareness of law enforcement personnel had been carried out to strengthen the judicial machinery’s response to such cases. More needed to be done to improve complaints procedures through modern technologies.

The anti-terrorism legislation provided for extraterritoriality and therefore took into account the international dimension of such crimes.

Going back to the definition of a child, the minimum age for employment was 16. The minimum age for marriage was 18 except in cases when a person was mentally and financially capable of entering into marriage, which was decided by a court. Children over the age of 10 were criminally responsible for major crimes.

In relation to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, a delegate said that child prostitution, child pornography, sale of children, sexual exploitation, and trafficking were all crimes under the national legislation. The Sexual Offences Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act covered those offenses. Perpetrators of those offenses could be subjected to extradition.

Maldives was highly vulnerable to climate change, and had been active internationally on that issue. Nationally, children had been involved in initiatives on climate change. Awareness raising and training sessions had been conducted across the country to build the resilience of children in case of natural disasters, with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Development Programme. Schools in Maldives had been at the forefront of awareness raising efforts for years, including at the international level, on the dangers of climate change. Since the 2004 tsunami, the concept of “establishing safer islands” had grown to ensure better preparedness to natural disasters.

With regard to child abuse, the helpline number was easy to remember and therefore easily accessible to all children, including in remote areas, especially considering the fact that most children over nine had their own mobile phones. School administrations could also facilitate children’s access to that service. Nation-wide campaigns had been carried out to raise awareness on that phone number. Rehabilitation programmes had been created to ensure that children were not re-victimized. Finally, persons failing to report child abuse could be held accountable.

Maldives allowed for abortion within 120 days of conception for pregnancies resulting from rape by an immediate family member, rape of a child who was physically and mentally not fit to get pregnant and deliver, or under some specific circumstances, where the doctor believed that medical termination was required.

Follow-up Questions by the Experts

An Expert was concerned that the legislation seemed to allow abortion only in cases of rape or the victim not having full mental capacity. If a girl was victim of rape by someone outside of her family, would she not be permitted to undertake abortion?

An Expert asked whether a child would be allowed to follow non-Muslim religious orientation, and raised allegations of violence against persons preaching freedom of religion.

A Committee member asked about the education coverage for children under the age of three.

Reply from the Delegation

The education coverage for children under the age of three was of 93 per cent.

Concluding Remarks

CLARENCE NELSON, Member of the Committee and Rapporteur for Maldives, thanked the delegation for its participation in the dialogue, and expressed hope that measures would be passed, implemented and fully operational by the next review of Maldives by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

MOHAMED ANIL, Attorney General and Minister in Charge of the Ministry of Law and Gender of Maldives, expressed his Government’s commitment to cooperate with the Committee and to give due consideration to its recommendations and support. He reiterated Maldives’ commitment to child rights and child development, and expressed thanks for the support provided by the United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations.

BENYAM DAWIT MEZMUR, Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Rapporteur for Maldives, welcomed Maldives’ commitment to its reporting obligations under the Convention. He encouraged the prompt adoption and implementation of new laws impacting children.


For use of the information media; not an official record

CRC16/011E