President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Friday, established the 'Presidential Commission to Inquire into Child Rights Violations'.
According to a circular released by the President's Office, the Commission is tasked with investigating and assessing all institutions and state party relevant to the protection of children.
The Commission is also mandated to identify the root cause of all violations against children, recommend reforms for "systematic failures" and compile a comprehensive report to be submitted to the President.
- Dr Aafiya Ali: President
- Dr Abdul Malik
- Abdulla Rabiu
- Maziya Abdul Sattar
- Nicholas Richard Cowdery
Cowdery is an expert within the field of human rights and law, serving as the Director of Public Prsucitons in New South Wales, Australia from 1994 till 2011. He also co-chaired the Human Rights Institute.
Appointed to the Member of the Order of Australia in June 2003, he was awared the Officer of the Order in June 2019, in recognition of his service to law, human rights and the community.
President Solih formed the commission after The Child Rights Protection Act which came into effect on Thursday. The reconstituted Act outlines the rights and responsibilities for children, duties of the state, community and parents to protect such rights seeks to reduce disparities between the previous law and international child protection laws and standards.
Unanimously approved on November 14 by the 66 MPs in attendance, the bill strongly prohibits inhumane actions against children in homes, education centres or an institution where children are kept. It outlines the duties of the state, community and parents to protect children's rights.
The bill includes several amendments and additions to protect child rights and those with special needs.