Placing human rights accountability firmly at the core of national policy and lawmaking is essential for achieving dignity and equality, affirmed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdulla Khaleel on Sunday.
Minister Khaleel made these remarks while delivering the keynote address at the opening of the Commonwealth Asia Regional Workshop on National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-Up (NMIRF) and Human Rights Reporting.
Held in the capital Male’ and co-hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Government of the Maldives, the three-day event serves as a critical platform to strengthen NMIRF structures across the region and enhance capacity for human rights reporting and SDG follow-up.
Minister Khaleel welcomed delegates from fellow Commonwealth states, emphasising the shared obligation of States to uphold fundamental rights through judicial fairness, governmental transparency, and diligent engagement with international monitoring bodies, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and various treaty bodies.
The Minister concluded his remarks by reaffirming the collective commitment necessary to ensure that human rights are not auxiliary goals but rather the fundamental foundation upon which all central governance structures are built.
The workshop, which includes participants from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and Pakistan, also featured opening remarks from Dr Justin Pettit of the Commonwealth Secretariat and UN Resident Coordinator a.i. Adnan Cheema.