The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has conducted monitoring visits to the atolls to gather information for the report (Shadow Report) to be submitted by the Commission to the Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The primary objective of these visits is to identify the challenges and concerns at the island level regarding women's rights and gender equality, to obtain the necessary information for the CEDAW Shadow Report formulated by the Commission, and to assess the extent to which the CEDAW Committee's recommendations to the State have been implemented.

Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979, the CEDAW Convention is one of the most significant international treaties adopted by the UN General Assembly that urges the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, promotes equality between women and men, and guarantees women's rights. The Maldives ratified this convention on 1 July 1993. Under the convention, the State is required to submit a report to the CEDAW Committee every four years detailing the measures taken to implement its provisions.

A CEDAW Shadow Report is an independent report submitted by other relevant stakeholders in addition to the State report, outlining the situation of women's rights. This report provides the CEDAW Committee with a clearer understanding of the challenges faced in safeguarding women's rights and the areas that require further attention.

As part of this effort, the Commission has visited three islands to date and met with relevant state institutions, local residents, and civil society organizations. Through these meetings, systemic challenges in implementing the convention at the island level were identified. Further visits are planned for the future.