Opening of UN Workshop on Right to Participate in Public Affairs

Good morning and welcome.

I am very pleased to open today’s workshop on the right to participate in public affairs. This right is derived from Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and embodied in several human rights treaties that Maldives is party to; the primary one being Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). 

This workshop is organized jointly by the UN in Maldives with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is an important component of supporting the Maldives to achieve the 2030 Agenda, and in line with the Maldives’ international human rights commitments and obligations.  These efforts are outlined in our United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2026.

OHCHR was tasked by the UN Human Rights Council in 2016 to prepare concise and action-oriented draft guidelines for States on the effective implementation of the right to participate in public affairs. This session operationalises that decision, with the content developed through a wide global consultative process for the benefit all Member States.

As central players in creating awareness on the public’s right to participation, civil society and the media are very welcome participants in these sessions.

With severe global shocks upon us, and our collective efforts to recover better, the right to participate in public affairs as a fundamental right recognized in international law plays a central role. Participation is essential when tackling human rights crises the world is currently experiencing, from climate change to conflict, from migration to corruption.

In particular, rampant poverty, pervasive inequalities and structural discrimination are human rights violations and among the greatest global challenges of our time. Addressing them effectively requires measures grounded in human rights, renewed political commitment and participation of all, especially those most affected. We need a new social contract which more fairly shares power, resources and opportunities and sets the foundations of a sustainable human rights-based economy.

Participation does not exist in a vacuum. As you will hear debate today, the right to take part in public affairs relies, amongst others, on the enjoyment of freedom of opinion and expression, as well as association and assembly. These public freedoms are essential in democracies.

Discrimination and marginalization are additional challenges to participation. Women and other marginalized individuals and groups face obstacles to effectively participate in public decision-making. The ability of individuals and communities to participate and express views without discrimination is a fundamental right and a threshold issue for peace and development. Bringing the voices of those affected by decisions to the decision-making table is not only the right thing to do, it is also smart – as decisions will be more effective if they address real needs and are informed by those familiar with challenges on the ground. I encourage you to reflect on this and come up with practical solutions applicable to the Maldives context.

This workshop focusses particularly on the right to participate in public affairs outside of the electoral context. We hope to organize another workshop specifically looking at Human Rights & Elections early next year as we near the October Presidential elections, and look forward to seeing many of you again.

Many of the issues I have raised will be discussed in today’s workshop. Among other things, you will learn about the benefits of participation, the importance of an enabling environment, and measures to increase participation before, during and after decision-making processes.

Recommendations will be presented for your consideration and implementation and these stem from the 2018 Participation Guidelines. One of such recommendations point to the fact that meaningful participation requires a long-term commitment by public authorities, together with their genuine political will and trust in civil society.

Your participation in today’s event shows there is such political will, and that you are ready to learn about increasing public participation, knowing that increased public participation and feedback ultimately leads to better governance.

To conclude, I encourage you to take this opportunity to hear of the experiences from other countries, and how we might benefit from these for building an inclusive and rights-based public space in the spirit of the 2030 Agenda.

Thank you.