UN General Assembly
2009

must work together to strengthen the various pillars of a democratic society, namely protection of human rights, good governance, independent oversight bodies, a free press and civil society. The Maldives has made enormous progress on all of those pillars, but much remains to be done. My sense is that the necessary foundations are now in place. The separation of powers 09-52425 34 has been established by constitutional reform. A range of independent agencies and commissions have now been set up. We have a thriving independent media. Nevertheless, several crucial challenges still remain, and we look forward to the support of the international community as we move to meet these challenges. In particular, I would like to stress the importance of ensuring the equality of women and men, not just in name, but in practice. The second way in which the international community can help consolidate democracy and the rule of law in the Maldives is by promoting a conducive economic environment. As a small, open market economy that is heavily dependent on tourism