01 June 2001

BONN: The Maldives consists of 1,190 small islands; its population is dispersed widely, and the natural resource base is fragile. The country's economy has seen increased growth due to the successful tourism industry. However, the benefits of economic prosperity have not reached all the local islands, and the disparity between the local and the capital islands is a matter of concern for the Maldives. This is why the priority in the development of the country has been capacity-building at the national, island and atoll levels. This is achieved through decentralization, social mobilization and community participation.

In order to enhance community capacity-building, UN Volunteers have served in two fields: in agriculture, they have promoted income generation and created employment opportunities by training women and youth in agricultural skills; in sustainable development, they have worked to improve living conditions by giving vocational and management skills training. UN Volunteers have played key roles in strengthening development capacity and imparted necessary technical skills and expertise that have greatly benefited the community. Their efforts have resulted in the extension of the atoll development project for sustainable development to another atoll in March 2001.

Expansion of the UNV programme
Seven new UN Volunteers are expected to work on this new atoll development project, including one national UN Volunteer. It will be implemented by the Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Volunteers and involve not just the national but also the atoll and island levels. The project will demonstrate the importance of volunteers as a bridge between the different levels, enhancing the capacity of the community as a whole. For the first time, UNV Maldives is recruiting a national UN Volunteer to help mobilize the community.

By mid-2001, additional UN Volunteers are expected to start working in the areas of health and the environment.