Hoadedhdhoo Association for Development (HAD) took part in the Democracy Fair 2009. This event was organized by the Hoadedhdhoo Island Office. There were five stalls total, with three non-governmental organizations, the Upper South Province Utilities Ltd. – Hoadedhdhoo Branch, and Hoadedhdhoo Island Office. The purpose of HAD’s stall was to give Hoadedhdhoo’s community the opportunity to learn about human rights, environmental issues, and improving their health while also creatively expressing themselves.
The Hoadedhdhoo Association for Development (HAD) had the last the largest stall of the fair. There were five interactive sections of the stall: a Welcome Reception, Youth and Sports Unit, Program Development and Project Implementation Unit, Human Rights and Environment section, and Art Corner. The Reception area welcomed guests with refreshments, Democracy Fair stickers, an opportunity to submit ideas and comments, and a HAD Volunteer sign-up sheet. The Youth and Sports Unit provided information about the upcoming annual Youth Sports Festival, conducted a youth leadership advocacy and drug prevention campaigns through informative posters and leaflets, as well as provided leadership training brochures for participants to read. The Program Development and Project Implementation Unit provided booklets on past projects, displayed information on current and future projects, and the strategic plan of HAD; a corruption and health advocacy campaigns were also conducted through informative materials. Furthermore, there was a slideshow displaying pictures of past and current projects. The Human Rights and Environment section conducted an advocacy campaign by giving away posters on “Climate Change Science, ” “10 Things You Can Do to Stop Climate Change,” the Maldivian Youth Climate Change Declaration which was signed at the Lagoon Conference held by had on the International Day of Climate Action, a Conservation listing protected and endangered Maldivian animal species, copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Additionally, information was available on the International Bill of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as information on other human rights and environmental issues. The Art Corner was the most popular attraction at the Democracy Fair and it embodied freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly. This was an opportunity for Hoadedhdhoo’s community to learn about human rights while also creatively expressing themselves. Participants of all ages would select from a wide variety of human rights placed in an envelope and then draw their interpretation. These drawings are being assembled into a public mural by HAD as a continuation of its human rights advocacy efforts.