How we were formed

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives was first established on 10 December 2003 as an independent and autonomous statutory body created by Decree by the President of the Republic of the Maldives with the right to sue and be sued. The Commission then established had nine members including a Chairperson.
Until the ratification of the present Human Rights Commission Act on 18th August 2005, making the HRCM a constitutionally established autonomous body, the HRCM functioned under regulations promulgated under powers vested with the President of the Republic of Maldives in Article 42 (e) of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives to determine the powers, duties and responsibilities of the HRCM.
In order to give the Commission the constitutional backing and thus autonomy from the Government of the Republic of Maldives; pluralism, including in membership; a broad mandate based on universal human rights standards; and adequate powers of investigation; the First Amendment to Law No: 1/2005 was passed by the People's Majlis as Law No:1/2006 (Human Rights Commission's Act) and ratified by the President on 17th August 2006.