As part of the ICPD+20 Review process, a team including two members from the Department of National Planning and the National Consultant to the UNFPA traveled to Haa Dhaal Atoll from 21 – 22 September 2012.
The team traveled to Haa Dhaal Atoll to get the feedback and opinion of Maldivians living in the Northern parts of the country. The islands visited during the trip were Hdh. Kulhudhufushi, Hdh. Neykurendhoo, Hdh. Kurinbee, Hdh. Nolhivaram and Hdh. Nolhivaramfaru.
The Focus Group Discussions were held with participants representing the Education Sector, Health Sector, Island Councils, Women’s Development Committees, Youth Development Committees, NGO’s and residents of the island. Most of the Focus Group Discussions were held at the Island Council Office and an average of 15 participants joined the discussion from each island.
The participants from all islands identified infrastructure development such as development of jetties and harbours as the key achievements during the last four years. Some islands such as Nolhivaramfaru identified an increase in the GCE O’level pass rate as a key achievement. The capital island, Kulhudhufushi, cited many development achievements including land reclamation project, sewerage system, water plant system, housing units and road development projects.
The education level in most islands is still very low despite near universal enrollment rate. Teachers face difficulties in delivering lessons to the pupils due to lack of resources such as libraries, science and computer labs and multimedia rooms. The ratio of girls and boys are quite equal and there is no discrimination between girls and boys in the school. Almost all the islands highlighted the deterioration of the students, especially boys. In Hdh. Kurinbee, the teachers expressed their concern about the number of students who chose to quit school in search of employment in the tourism sector. There were also concerns about the deteriorating values among the student population, and many teachers stated that students carried mobile phones and even smoked within the school premises and in the island. Teachers also identified limited opportunities for further studies and vocational training as a pressing issue for students completing their studies.
Health sector in all islands remained weak. The lack of trained doctors and access to medicines were the key issues. Some islands such as Hdh. Nolhivaram and Hdh. Nolhivaramfaru had no pharmacies established, and the islanders have to travel to the capital Hdh. Kulhudhufushi to get everyday medicine such as panadol and ORS. The Council of Hdh. Nolhivaram said that they have sent a proposal to the Ministry of Health to develop the island as a Maternal Health Hub in the Atoll since the island has the highest birth rate in the atoll.
Lack of jobs and income earning opportunities was another key issue hindering the development of these islands. Most of the jobs are limited to civil service jobs and many are left without any other means to earn an income. All the participants from all the islands complained about the absence of a resort in the Atoll despite a number of islands having being leased out for resort development several years back. These islanders believe that opening a resort in the atoll will create numerous job opportunities for their youth and will resolve their unemployment issue.
Women were noticed to be sidelined in most development activities, with their involvement limited to sweeping the islands and helping in clearing weeds for road development. Most of the women in Haa Dhaalu Atoll are housewives whose primary responsibility is taking care of their children and other family members. Women are well represented in the education and health sector, with most of them working as teachers and nurses. Some women weave coconut leaves (known in Dhivehi as “Fangiviyun”) to sell to resorts. Other women take up sewing or baking to earn an income although not in a sustainable manner.
The youth of these islands remain challenged with limited job opportunities, funding for further studies, limited vocational and skills training programmes. Above all, drugs and substance abuse were noted to be quite significant among these youths.
The elderly of the atoll lived with the families and continued an active lifestyle. Apart from the Old Age Pension given by the National Social Protection Agency, all the elderly’s depend on their families or manage their expenses on their own.
When probed, the participants admitted to domestic violence against women being an issue, although the participants felt that the issue was private and should be resolved within the family unit.
Apart from the capital island Kulhudhufushi, all the other islands reported that children with disabilities did not attend any form of mainstream schooling. Some of the reasons quoted were poverty, difficulties arising to the parent to take such children to school, lack of special education classes for disabled children and lack of trained teachers.
Contraceptives were unavailable to all islands visited during the trip, apart from Kulhudhufushi. The women of these islands had limited knowledge on contraceptives and sexual and reproductive health.
The ICPD+20 resource team identified four relevant areas where the Atoll needed urgent attention. These areas are (i) creating jobs and other income earning opportunities (ii) strengthening the education sector, namely development of infrastructure such as preschools, laboratories, libraries, multimedia centers, extra classrooms, administrative rooms and halls, (iii) developing the health sector in terms of trained Doctors, access to specialist Doctors, access to medicine and laboratory services and (iv) creating awareness of various development issues.
ICPD 2014 Beyond - Maldives 