The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) completed its first integrated human rights program in the Haa Dhaalu region in the northern Maldives, running training activities for rights holders and duty bearers. The program is part of the HRCM’s strategy to target awareness and education activities at the community level, which until now have been challenging to carry out due to the geographical dispersion of the population and ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

This initial week-long program took place in September 2021 at Kulhudhuffushi, the administrative centre of Haa Dhaalu. It included a ‘train the trainers’ session for a growing network of human rights defenders, as well as activities for community leaders, government officials, teachers and parents, women, migrant workers, disabled people, older people and children.

The HRCM plans to run the integrated human rights program across all the Atolls in the Maldives.