BANGKOK, Thailand (15 July 2025) – The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) calls on the Government of the Maldives to ensure that the ongoing selection process for vacant commissioner positions at the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) fully complies with the Paris Principles, the internationally recognized standards that underpin the independence, effectiveness, and credibility of national human rights institutions (NHRIs).

In June 2025, the President’s Office announced the opening of applications to fill two commissioner positions on the HRCM, as the terms of two current commissioners are set to expire. According to the Human Rights Commission Act (Law No. 6/2006), candidates are nominated by the President, approved by the People’s Majlis, and formally appointed by the President.

However, the nomination process led by the President has not been made public, which runs contrary to international standards. The lack of transparency, marked by a closed process under full executive control, without any independent or participatory mechanism, raises serious concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the selection.

Failure to guarantee impartial vetting of applications undermines the Commission’s integrity and independence. The Parliament Oversight Committee must play a central role in ensuring transparency and public accountability in the vetting of candidates.

“ANNI reminds the Maldivian Government to ensure that the selection process is transparent, inclusive, and merit-based, in line with the Paris Principles,” said Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, Executive Director of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), the ANNI Secretariat. “This process must involve meaningful consultations with civil society and ensure that appointees are selected based on demonstrated integrity, competence, and experience in protecting and promoting human rights. Shielding the process from political interference is critical to restoring and maintaining public trust in the Commission,” added Bacalso.

An Independent and Pluralistic Commission Is Key to Credibility

The Paris Principles, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1993, outline the minimum conditions for NHRIs to function effectively. These include institutional autonomy, pluralistic representation, adequate financial and operational resources, and a broad human rights mandate.

ANNI and FORUM-ASIA jointly remind the Maldivian authorities to meaningfully engage with the civil society in the selection of new HRCM Commissioners. A key element of these standards is a selection and appointment process that is transparent, participatory, and merit-based. It must include inputs from diverse stakeholders, including civil society, academia, professional associations, and marginalized communities. Representation across gender, religion, ethnicity, and disability is not merely symbolic–it is central to the NHRI’s legitimacy, serving a diverse society.

The HRCM was last reviewed by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions – Sub-Committee on Accreditation (GANHRI-SCA) in 2010, when it was granted B-status, indicating only partial compliance with the Paris Principles. One of the SCA’s key concerns was the legal requirement that all commissioners be Muslim, an exclusionary provision that directly contradicts the Paris Principles’ emphasis on pluralism. Notably, the Commission has not sought re-accreditation since that review.

As the Maldives proceeds with appointing new commissioners, ANNI and FORUM-ASIA stress that this process presents an important opportunity to reinforce and not weaken the independence and legitimacy of the HRCM.

ANNI and FORUM-ASIA urge the Government of Maldives to demonstrate its commitment to international human rights standards by ensuring the selection process is transparent, inclusive, and consistent with the Paris Principles. This includes making the process public, establishing an independent and participatory shortlisting, and ensuring that appointments reflect gender balance and are truly pluralistic. A credible appointment process will help restore public confidence in the HRCM and strengthen its ability to carry out its mandate effectively.

Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI)

The Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) was established in December 2006. It is a network of Asian non-governmental organisations and human rights defenders working on issues related to National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs). ANNI has members that are national organisations from all over Asia. ANNI currently has 33 member organisations from 21 countries or territories. The work of ANNI members focuses on strengthening the work and functioning of Asian NHRIs to better promote and protect human rights as well as to advocate for the improved compliance of Asian NHRIs with international standards, including the Paris Principles and General Observations of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of NHRIs (GANHRI). The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) has served as the Secretariat of ANNI since its establishment in 2006. http://l.forum-asia.org/ANNI

The post [Statement] Maldives must uphold the Paris Principles in the Selection of HRCM Commissioners first appeared on FORUM-ASIA.

This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.