Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion Submission to the Human Rights Council at the 36th Session of the Universal Periodic Review Republic of Maldives Introduction 1. The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI) makes this submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), on the right to a nationality and human rights challenges pertaining to statelessness in the Republic of Maldives. 2. This submission focuses on statelessness and the right to a nationality in the Maldives, in relation to: I. II. III. IV. Religions Discrimination and denial of the Right to Nationality Displacement: Climate Change & Natural Disasters; Attribution of Nationality: Religious Practices and Birth Registration; Displacement: Human Trafficking and Forced Labour. 3. ISI1 is an independent non-profit organisation committed to an integrated, human rights-based response to the injustice of statelessness and exclusion through a combination of research, education, partnerships and advocacy. Established in August 2014, it is the first and only global centre committed to promoting the human rights of stateless persons and ending statelessness. The Institute has made over 50 country specific UPR submissions on the human rights of stateless persons, and also compiled summaries of the key human rights challenges related to statelessness in all countries under review under the 23rd to the 35th UPR Sessions. The Maldives' Universal Periodic Review under the Second Cycle 4. In 2015, during the 22nd Session of the UPR Second Cycle,2 the Republic of Maldives (presented their State Report.3 The Report did not directly address issues of statelessness. However, issues including human trafficking and migration, certain religious practices and birth registration, which have been identified as potential causes of statelessness, indicate that certain factors in the Maldives may lead to increased risk of statelessness. 1 For more information, see www.institutesi.org. For more information on the Institute’s UPR advocacy, see http://www.statelessnessandhumanrights.org/upr-universal-periodic-review/resources-database. 2 United Nations Human Rights Council, Meeting Highlights for the 22nd Session, <https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/MeetingsHighlightsSession22.aspx>. 3 A/HRC/WG.5/22/MDV/1 - The Republic of Maldives, National Report Submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to the Human Rights Council resolution 16/21, 2015, <https://documents-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G15/079/28/PDF/G1507928.pdf?OpenElement> ("Report"). 1