Common Core Document Forming Part of the Reports of States Parties – Republic of Maldives – 16 February 2010 © Government of Maldives 2010 Abbreviations AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AOSIS Alliance of Small Island States AP Adhaalath Party APF Asia Pacific Forum APT Association for the Prevention of Torture ARI Acute Respiratory Infections CAT Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment CCHDC Centre for Community Health and Disease Control CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CERD Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination CFPS Child and Family Protection Service CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CRDP Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities DDPRS Department of Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Services DPRS Department of Gender and Family Protection Services (DGFPS) DGFPS Department of Gender and Family Protection Services DPRS Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services DRP Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party EPI Expanded Programme of Immunization HDFC Housing Development Finance Cooperation HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HRCM Human Rights Commission of the Maldives ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights IDP Islamic Democratic Party IGMH Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital IPCC Inter‐Governmental Panel on Climate Change ILO International Labour Organisation IOM Organisation for Migration MDP Maldivian Democratic Party MFDA Maldives Food and Drug Authority MIGA Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency MIVET Maldives Institute for Vocational and Technical Education MPS Maldives Police Service MNDF Maldives National Defence Force NGO Non‐Governmental Organisation NHRI National Human Rights Institution NPM National Preventive Mechanism NSPA National Social Protection Agency ODA Official Development Assistance OIC Organization of Islamic Conference SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SIDS Small Island Developing States SPT Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training TRC Teacher Resource Centre UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime WTO World Trade Organisation TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction........................................................................................................................................................1 Chaper 1 : General Information about the State............................................................................................. 3 A: Demographic, Economic, Social and Cultural Characteristics of the State.......................................... 3 A.1 Historical Background...................................................................................................................... 3 A.2 Demographic and Ethnic Characteristics of the Country and its Population...............................4 A.3 Economic, Social and Cultural Characteristics of the State .......................................................... 5 B: Constitutional, Political and Legal Structure of the State....................................................................10 B.1 Constitutional Structure .................................................................................................................10 B.2 Political Structure ........................................................................................................................... 11 B.3 Elections..........................................................................................................................................13 B.4 Legal Framework............................................................................................................................13 B.5 Maldives Police Service ..................................................................................................................14 B.6 Administration of Justice...............................................................................................................15 B.7 Maldives Courts System.................................................................................................................16 Chaper 2 : General Framework for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights................................17 C: Acceptance of International Human Rights Norms ..............................................................................17 C.1 Ratification of International Human Rights Instruments .............................................................17 C.2 Ratification of Other United Nations Human Rights and Related Treaties................................ 20 C.3 Ratification of Other Relevant International Conventions ......................................................... 20 C.4 Ratification of Regional Human Rights Conventions.................................................................. 20 D: Legal Framework at the National Level.................................................................................................21 D.1 The Human Rights Framework of the Maldives............................................................................21 D.2 Existing Institutionalised Processes to Protect Human Rights ...................................................21 D.3 Availability of Remedies, Existence of a System of Reparation, Compensation and Rehabilitation................................................................................................................................. 25 D.4 Existence, Mandate and Financial Resources of Human Rights Institutions ............................ 25 D.5 Acceptance of International Human Rights Complaints Mechanisms....................................... 25 E: Framework for the Promotion of Human Rights at the National Level............................................. 26 E.1 Human Rights Education ............................................................................................................... 26 E.2 Budget Allocation and Trends.......................................................................................................30 E.3 Factors that Affect or Impede the Implementation of Human Rights Obligations at the National Level ................................................................................................................................30 F: Reporting Process at the National Level ............................................................................................... 30 F.1 National Coordinating Structure ...................................................................................................30 F.2 Participation of Different Departments ........................................................................................31 F.3 Participation of Entities Outside the Governmental Structure................................................... 32 F.4 Parliamentary Debates, Government Conferences, Workshops, Seminars, Radio and TV Broadcasts and Publication of Issues Explaining the Report...................................................... 32 F.5 Measures and Procedures Adopted to Ensure the Follow‐up and Dissemination of Concluding Observations and Recommendations Issued by Treaty Bodies, Including Parliamentary Hearings and Media Coverage...................................................................................................... 32 G: Other Relevant Human Rights Information.......................................................................................... 32 Chaper 3 : Implementation of Substantive Human Rights Provisions........................................................ 33 H: Non‐discrimination and equality ........................................................................................................... 33 H.1 Non‐discrimination......................................................................................................................... 33 H.2 Other Societal Abuses and Discrimination................................................................................... 34 H.3 Equality Before the Law and Equal Protection of the Law......................................................... 34 H.4 Political Ideologies ........................................................................................................................ 37 I: Effective remedies ................................................................................................................................... 37 I.1 Role of the Police and Security Apparatus .................................................................................... 37 I.2 Arrest and Detention...................................................................................................................... 37 I.3 Complaints with Respect to the Condition of Detention Centres...............................................38 I.4 Prison and Detention Centres in Maldives....................................................................................39 I.5 Rehabilitation of Victimes of Torture, or Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment......................................................................................................................................40 I.6 Procedural guarantees....................................................................................................................41