Honorable Justice Aisha Shujune Muhammad was born in Malé, Republic of Maldives, on 23rd December 1977. She completed her Bachelor of Laws (Honours), under the University of London External program at the Royal Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and read for her Master of Laws at the University of Western, in Perth, Australia.
Justice Aisha Shujune Muhammad was appointed to the Supreme Court on 04th September 2019. While she was in private practice as Associate Partner at Nasheed & Co Law Practice prior to her appointment at the Supreme Court, since 1997, she has filled a number of positions, including, the position of Judge at the Civil Court; varied executive and legal positions at the Ministry of Justice and Juvenile Court; and project positions at the Ministry of Gender. Justice Aisha Shujune Muhammad has also worked extensively with civil society organisations on a number of issues, primarily with a focus on human rights and good governance.
Justice Aisha Shujune Muhammad was elected as a member of the first Executive Committee of the Bar Council of Maldives in 2019, from which she resigned upon appointment to the Supreme Court. In addition, she has served the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT), as its Vice Chairperson for Jurisprudence and SPT Rapporteur, from 2011 to 2018. Justice Aisha Shujune Muhammad was re-elected to the SPT and commenced a 4-year term in 2021, currently serving as SPT Vice Chairperson for National Preventive Mechanisms.
Representation at International level:
- Member of State Party delegation (Maldives), 45th Session of United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (2007)
- Member of State Party delegation (Maldives), 37th Session of the Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (2007)
- Fellow, Regional Fellowship Programme in International Law for Countries from Asia by UNITAR (2004)
- Member of State Party delegation (Maldives), 23rd Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly – Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-first Century (2000)
Trainings undertaken as Resource Person at International level:
- Advisory dialogue with and assistance to numerous National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) of OPCAT Member States, primarily, Germany, Azerbaijan, Romania and Slovenia (2011-2018)
- Primary Resource Person at OPCAT Seminar for Senior Officials of Indonesia organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2017)
- Primary Resource Person at OPCAT Seminar for Senior Officials (government and military) of Thailand organized by the International Commission of Jurists (2013 and 2016)
- Resource Person at the 6th NPM Thematic Workshop on Vulnerable Groups in Detention organized by the Council of Europe (2011)
- Resource Person at Access to Justice Regional Consultation in Bangkok organized by the United Nation Development Fund, Regional Office (2010)
- Resource person at the Judicial Colloquium for Iranian Judges organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2010)
Trainings undertaken as Resource Person at domestic level:
- Training programmes for court management and staff
- Trainings and workshops on Human Rights and the Constitution for Judges and Magistrates
- Training Sessions for Family and Child Protection staff (Department of Gender and Maldives Police Services)
- Trainings on Human Rights and the Constitution for Prison Staff
- Training of Trainers on Human Rights and the Constitution
- Trainings and workshops on Access to Justice for a wide variety of stakeholders
- Trainings on Human Rights Mainstreaming
- Trainings and workshops on Juvenile Justice for a wide variety of stakeholders
- Trainings and workshops on Restorative Justice for a wide variety of stakeholders
- Trainings and workshops for Judges and Magistrates on several laws and regulations of Maldives
- Trainings and workshops on Gender Sensitization / Gender and Development / Political and Public Participation of Women for a wide variety of stakeholders
She has participated in several conferences and seminars over the years. These include;
- Seminars and workshops related to the judiciary
- Access to Justice conferences, seminars and workshops.
- Public International Law conferences, seminars and workshops.
- Environmental Justice and Environmental Law conferences and workshops
- LAWASIA Conferences on varied thematic areas
- Commonwealth lawyers Association Conferences on varied thematic areas
- Rights of the Child / Child Protection conferences, seminars and workshops
- Gender Equality conferences, seminars and workshops
- Project formulation and implementation workshops