LocationsBringing People Closer to Local Governance: A Forum for Listening, Sharing, and Acting Together
April 14, 2025
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
In AA. Ukulhas, island councils, local government representatives, and community leaders came together for the two-day Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum focused on strengthening democratic practices and fostering more inclusive public engagement at the local level. The forum specifically brought together councils that performed well in the Public Participation subindex, including participation from city councils, broadening the range of voices and experiences represented.
Hosted at the Ukulhas Convention Center from 12–13 April 2025, the forum was co-organized by the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works (MoCLP) and Local Government Authority (LGA), supported by UNDP Maldives with the generous backing of the UK Government, a key partner in UNDP’s ongoing efforts to promote democratic governance and community-led development across multiple initiatives.
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
Reimagining Public Engagement in Local Governance
The forum builds on close to two decades of local governance in the Maldives, reflecting on progress made and the challenges that remain. While the Decentralization Act empowers councils to engage their communities in participatory planning and transparent governance, community engagement has often fallen short of expectations. This is substantiated by various studies which point to a growing lack of trust, youth disillusionment, and erosion of confidence in public officials.
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
Shammoon Adam, Director General of the LGA, emphasized the importance of the forum's focus on empowering councils to truly decentralize governance. He stated, “Not many forums have been held before to promote public participation. We always talk about transferring powers held by the central government to the councils. In this forum, we are discussing how councils can extend these powers to the people and run the councils with public participation. This is what a true decentralized system is.”
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
Echoing this sentiment, Minister Adam Shareef noted, “The Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum is crucial in strengthening the decentralization system, which will bring great progress. At the same time, the people’s participation is very important to this system. I believe this is a forum on strengthening this system, especially the challenges faced by the councils.”
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
To address these challenges, the forum provided a much-needed platform for open dialogue, peer learning, and reimagining participation beyond traditional town halls. It brought together 57 council representatives from 20 councils, ensuring geographic, demographic, and gender inclusivity. This represents approximately 33% female participation, with women’s voices centered across all conversations.
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
Insights from the Philippines & Local Innovations
One of the key highlights was the sharing of insights from a recent knowledge exchange trip to the Philippines, organized with the support of UNDP and the UK Government. Representatives from the Ministry, LGA, and councils had explored community engagement strategies and participatory policy making in settings similar to the Maldives. The forum in Ukulhas served as a reflection point to share these learnings and consider how such approaches could be contextualized locally.
Seven councils—K. Huraa, K. Guraidhoo, HDh. Kulhudhuffushi, F. Nilandhoo, Sh. Foakaidhoo, AA. Mathiveri, and AA. Bodufolhudhoo—presented their own case studies on successful public engagement strategies. These powerful stories illustrated how councils are already experimenting with creative modalities such as open street sessions, community theatre, community events, and civic education. A dynamic Q&A followed, allowing other councils to probe, challenge, and extract actionable ideas for replication.
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
Bridging the Participation Gap
Discussions emphasized the need to move beyond consultation towards meaningful engagement —moving from simply gathering input to creating a space for genuine dialogue, where citizens feel heard, understood, and empowered to contribute actively. Instead of traditional approaches, the forum introduced communications exercises and planning sessions that encouraged councils to think critically about how to reach specific community segments through targeted messaging, creative tools, and inclusive methods.
Participants also explored the importance of using data and contextual insights to develop innovative and adaptive strategies that reflect the unique needs and challenges of each community—avoiding one-size-fits-all approaches.
In her remarks, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative PeK Chuan Gan emphasized, “Public engagement in local governance serves as a way to enhance local voices in the whole local governance process. We need the people to be involved in the process—by listening to them, by engaging in the whole, decision-making.”
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
The Power of Partnership
The UK High Commissioner to the Maldives, His Excellency Nick Low, underscored the impact of local governance, saying, “It is inspirational, the work that local governments do across the country delivering core services that matter for ordinary people—the men, the women, and children across the archipelago—touching their lives for the better.”
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
Afeefa Khalid, HA. Maarandhoo Council Vice President, reflecting on the forum, said, “Through this forum, we've learned valuable ways to enhance public participation. It has truly paved the way for us to move forward with greater knowledge and experience. Even while we’re here, the Council President and I are actively discussing new ideas inspired by the learnings shared by councils from their recent visit to the Philippines. Forums like this are a great learning opportunity.”
Public Engagement in Local Governance Forum
A Living Legacy of Learning
All discussions and outcomes from the forum are being captured in a comprehensive brief on alternative and effective public engagement practices, which will be made available for councils and Women’s Development Committees across the Maldives to extend the learning to council staff and secretariats across the nation.
UNDP Maldives, with support from its partners, remains committed to co-creating inclusive, innovative, and people-centered solutions to strengthen governance in the Maldives. The forum in Ukulhas is part of a broader movement towards a more participatory, transparent, and accountable local governance system—where every island, every voice, and every citizen matters.