The Maldives has ratified the eight ILO fundamental Conventions on 4 January 2013, dealing with four categories of fundamental principles and rights at work: freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; the effective abolition of child labour; and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. The eight ILO fundamental Conventions are: the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105), the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).

The ratification of these Conventions by the Maldives brings to 138 the total number of countries that have ratified all eight fundamental Conventions, with 47 countries still to ratify one or more of the fundamental Conventions.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, His Excellency Dr. Samad Abdullah said: “The Government is proud to have ratified these Conventions. This is a major achievement for the Government and breaks new ground in the promotion and protection of labour rights in the country. It is also an important accomplishment in the government’s human rights agenda and one which will fill an existing gap in the national human rights framework”.

In welcoming the ratification by the Maldives, Ms Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director, International Labour Standards Department stated: “The eight ILO fundamental Conventions were registered on 4 January 2013 and will enter into force for the Maldives on 4 January 2014. These fundamental Conventions embody principles, rights and values that constitute a universal aspiration of the international community as a whole. They are all the more relevant today in the face of global and other challenges impinging on the welfare and livelihood of workers in all regions. Their ratification is an important sign of commitment to human rights and the ILO has been seeking to achieve universal ratification by 2015.”

The Maldives became a member of the ILO in May 2009.