The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives was first established on 10 December 2003 as an independent and autonomous statutory body created by Decree by the President of the Republic of the Maldives. With the ratification of the Constitution on 7 August 2008 HRCM became a Constitutional independent body. In order to give the Commission the constitutional backing and thus autonomy from the Government of the Republic of Maldives; pluralism, including in membership; a broad mandate based on universal human rights standards; and adequate powers of investigation; the First Amendment to Law No: 1/2005 was passed by the People's Majlis as Law No:1/2006 (Human Rights Commission's Act) and ratified by the President on 17th August 2006.