Faena appointed head of civil rights office
Complaints about discrimination in the granting of civil rights and the withholding of civil rights can be filed with the Office of Civil Rights.
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By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Senior State Counsel for the Attorney General's Office Faena Fayyaz has been appointed as the interim head of the Office for Civil Rights, which was created by this government under the Attorney General's Office to look into complaints about discrimination in the granting of civil rights.
The Civil Rights Office is one of the new offices established by President Mohamed Muizzu with the change in the administrative structure of the government.
The office was established to ensure that everyone enjoys all civil rights under the Constitution and the laws of Maldives. A formal system for submitting civil rights complaints to the office has been established and complaints have now been accepted.
Attorney General Ahmed Usham on Sunday confirmed to Atoll Times that Faena, who is heading the Human Rights and International Affairs Division of the Attorney General's Office, has been assigned to run the Civil Rights Office on an interim basis.
Faena joined the Attorney General's Office on September 12, 2013 as Deputy State Attorney. Before being promoted to senior state counsel in 2019, she held many other key positions in the office. They include:
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2013 - 2014: Deputy state attorney
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2014 - 2017: State attorney
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2017 - 2019: Senior state attorney
Faena's current responsibilities in the Attorney General's Office include:
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Manage the day-to-day operations of the Human Rights and International Affairs Division
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Respond to human rights complaints submitted to the Attorney General
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To undertake all efforts to implement the human rights policies of the government
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The state should operate a system of providing legal assistance
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Engage treaty bodies, special procedures and all organs within the UN human rights system
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Strengthen relations with international bodies in the areas of human rights, rule of law, democracy and governance, and oversee the drafting and implementation of important laws for their implementation
Faena holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Reading in 2013. In 2017, she completed a Master of Laws in Human Rights Law from University College London (UCL).
Complaints about discrimination in the granting of civil rights and the withholding of civil rights can be filed with the Office of Civil Rights. The office will look into the complaints and take action.
The functions of the Civil Rights Office include:
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To implement government policy on protecting civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution and laws and ensuring that these rights are enjoyed by the people
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Establish a formal mechanism for citizens to report to the government complaints about various discriminatory practices in the enjoyment of civil rights and withholding of civil rights, and take appropriate action on such complaints
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Review the efforts of government agencies to protect civil rights and provide relevant consultation and recommendations to ensure that public institutions are protecting and ensuring the civil rights of citizens in the delivery of services
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To assist the efforts of Maldivian associations to protect civil rights
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Plan and implement programs related to the protection and safeguarding of civil rights in collaboration with private individuals and associations working to protect civil rights
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To strengthen relations with private associations, international organisations and donors working in Maldives on the protection of civil rights and to facilitate various activities conducted with such associations
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Raising public awareness regarding the preservation and protection of civil rights.
