Empowering Youth Human Rights Organizations: mainstreaming human rights into development plans of NOGs based in Southern Atolls project contract is to be signed with Australian High Commission in Colombo next week. The project comprises of six workshops to be executed in the four southern atolls of the Maldives. Three workshops will focus on strengthening NGO management to build capacity among local organizations. The other three workshops will train NGO leaders to create awareness and educate and empower youth (17-35 years) about their human rights, specifically civil and political rights and responsibilities (e.g. voting, non-violent protest, democracy), economic, social and cultural rights, the relationship between climate change and human rights, as well as how realizing these human rights will contribute to national policy and local development goals. The human rights workshops will train more than 60 NGO leaders, who will then conduct human rights awareness workshops on their islands. The capacity building management training workshops will allow for more effective program development and community outreach. Additionally, HAD will develop a child protection policy and encourage other NGOs to as well.