A/HRC/16/7 8. Maldives was a member of the Human Rights Council, was party to nearly all conventions and most optional protocols, and had welcomed visits by four special procedures mandate holders and extended a standing invitation to all others to visit. 9. In terms of challenges, Maldives could avoid or ignore the fact that serious human rights abuses had taken place over recent decades. The victims required a sense of justice and closure, and society demanded accountability. However, Maldives also could not allow sentiments of revenge to take hold and put at risk its still-fragile democratic transition. 10. The vast majority of the human rights now legally guaranteed in Maldives were new to Maldivians, and fully understanding them and exercising them responsibly would take time. This was the case for the general public, but also for the political class. The once allpowerful executive was now balanced with a far stronger Parliament and a newly independent judiciary. 11. Maldives faced major challenges in promoting the rule of law and good governance. Corruption, in particular, remained a huge problem, with far-reaching consequences for the full enjoyment of human rights in the country. Unfortunately, Maldives, as a new democracy, currently lacked the institutions to effectively tackle such problems. 12. Maldives was a proud, 100 per cent Muslim nation. Islam was central to its history, culture and national identity. Maldives saw no conflict between a strong Islamic faith and its commitment to international human rights law. Unfortunately, certain interpretations of Islam pushed in Maldives and internationally, sought to create the impression that there was an inherent tension between Islam and human rights. 13. Although it was a traditionally moderate Muslim nation, Maldives had not escaped the global problem of religious extremism and terrorism. The Government was extremely concerned at the rising influence of extremists and the increasing tendency of young Maldivians to travel abroad and come under the influence of extremist organizations. 14. The Government was committed to achieving full equality between men and women in law and in practice. However, it could escape the fact that serious obstacles to that goal persisted, despite important steps such as the removal of the constitutional bar that had previously prevented women from running for President. Persistent de facto discrimination against women stemmed from both religious influence and a Government that had been characterized by strong, centralized patriarchal rule. Violence against women was also a real problem in Maldives. 15. The Government was committed to upholding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. A strong, independent judiciary was the ultimate guarantor of the new democratic Maldives and of the human rights of the people. Judges must be people of integrity and the highest educational and professional standing. 16. It was extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to bring a case to a successful conclusion because of the lack of an adequate legal framework. In particular, there was an urgent need to adopt the new revised Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the evidence bill. 17. Trafficking and consumption of drugs, and the related problems of criminality and gang violence, were major problems. Some 80 per cent of the prison population consisted of drug offenders, with approximately 30 per cent serving life sentences for drug-related offences. The vast majority of prisoners were young, and the criminalization of young drug users and the imposition of severe sentences were particularly serious problems. The Government was committed to a path of rehabilitation rather than of imprisonment. 18. Maldives was acutely vulnerable at the economic, social and environmental levels. Economically, it was heavily dependent on the tourism and fishery sectors, both of which 4