Locations
Social Innovation Platform
The Maldives
Urban Development | Kulhudhuffushi Island
SIP Snapshot
The Social Innovation Platform (SIP) in Kulhudhuffushi supports local development planning to better respond to the challenges facing the local community, enhance public service delivery, and improve people's livelihoods. Adopting systems thinking and forward-looking planning, the City Council is actively engaging community members, the private sector, national governments, and civil society organizations to facilitate a grounded understanding of the local development dynamics, co-create solutions that address the pain points of the local community, and advance local development with sustainable impact. Civic spaces have been strengthened through innovative tools that complement traditional consultations, enabling a diverse spectrum of voices—especially those of Persons with Disabilities, women, and the elderly—to be heard and included. These efforts have brought decision-making power to the doorstep of local communities, bridging the gaps in traditional participation models.
Key Milestones
- SIP Training Workshop | September 2025
- Deep Listening Exercise | September - October 2025
- Sensemaking Workshop | November 2025
- Portfolio Development | January - February 2026
Progress and Impact
- Over 30 national and local government officials equipped with anticipatory, participatory and forward-looking governance approaches for inclusive development planning and public service delivery.
- Strengthened civic space enabling community members — especially women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly — to actively participate in public planning, bridging the gaps in traditional participation.
SIP Training Workshop, Kulhudhuffushi
City Profile
Kulhudhuffushi City, located in the northern Haa Dhaalu Atoll in the Maldives, is an emerging urban center in the Maldives. With over 10,000 registered residents and nearly 3000 migrant workers, it is not only the most populous island in the northern Maldives, but also the third most populous island across the nation. As the principal economic hub in the northern atolls, the city hosts a bustling retail and wholesale sector attracting numerous visitors from neighboring islands.
Aerial view of Kulhudhuffushi island
Known for its mangroves and traditional boatbuilding, it has grown in importance due to its role as a regional transport hub. The opening of Kulhudhuffushi Airport in 2018 has significantly boosted connectivity, facilitating tourism and trade. It plays a crucial role in providing essential services for local community as well as residents of neighboring islands in this region, including healthcare services, education, transportation, and sports facilities.
Saturday Market in Kulhudhuffushi
Local Governance Setting
The administrative body is the City Council, which operates under a decentralized administrative framework, governed by Decentralization Act of Maldives. It oversees urban development, infrastructure, public services, and local economic initiatives. The council also coordinates with national government bodies on regional development projects and ensures municipal services, such as waste management, road maintenance, and housing. Through citizen engagement and policy implementation, the council has taken notable steps in advocating for and embracing nature-based development and participatory governance. For example, the council strengthened its governance by voluntarily disclosing information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act of Maldives.
Street View in Kulhudhuffushi
Opportunities and Challenges
Kulhudhuffushi's geographical influence as a key urban hub in the northern atolls and socio-economic potential as a regional economic and administrative center offer great developmental potential. However, rapid development poses environmental, social, and governance challenges. These include the loss of mangroves due to land reclamation, fragmented decision-making among stakeholders, capacity gaps that limit effective project implementation, and limited citizen engagement, which risks excluding marginalized groups from participatory processes.
Workers in Plant Nursery, Kulhudhuffushi
Our Partners
Related SDGs
