Project Context

During the 17 months project implementation, the Covid-19 Pandemic is continuing its outbreak, especially community outbreak case on February 20, 2021, and Omicron which has been created the fifth wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic and still continue its outbreak until now. This crisis and outbreak have created a lot of challenges and obstacles to the project implementation – from the outbreak cases, the consultation meeting at DM level on the Civic Engagement Mechanisms at DM Level were canceled two time and until we still can’t conduct those consultation meetings as we planned. However, we will consult with district authorities to find possibility to conduct the consultation meetings and other activities virtually and hybrid approach.

What is more, the outbreak cases of Covid-19 situation are also not allowed the project to coordinate and support NGOs and CBOs effectively to participate in district governance/decision-making processes due to the DM Authorities are currently priority on the Covid-19 outbreak responses. However, the project has tried to engage and participate in online meetings of particular DM Mechanisms, especially the meetings of OWSO Working Groups at DM Level.

On the other hand, during project implementation, CPDD has actively engaged in the process of the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goals and target in the Cambodian Sustainable Development Goals (CSDGs) based on the government commitment to review the CSDGs’ goal and targets – this momentum has allowed to influence the government, especially line-ministries to integrate the concerned SDGs’ goals and targeted into the ministries’ commitment and planning.  NATIONAL PROGRAM ON SUB-NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT PHASE 2 (2021-2030) have been adopted and put into implemented by NCDD and it will be officiall launched on March 21, 2022.

Civic Engagement

Decentralization and Deconcentration (D&D) reform is an important policy of the RGC that has been underway for nearly two decades. However, government organizations, CSOs, and the public have a limited understanding about these reforms. There is a specific knowledge gap concerning the vision and objectives of these reforms. D&D reforms are complex and need commitment from both the political and technical levels of ministries, institutions, SNAs, and other relevant stakeholders. During NP-1, several ministries and institutions were reluctant to transfer their powers and responsibilities regarding functions, finances, and human resources to SNAs in accordance with D&D policies. To make the reform process more effective, ministries and institutions need to strengthen their political ant technical commitments. Although SNA structures and systems have been continuously reviewed and revised, these systems are not always appropriate for every SNA. Different types of SNAs are required to respond to different administrative needs in metropolitan, urban, and rural areas. Geography, demography and the socio-economic potential of each SNA needs to be taken into account as well. SNA councils have not fully performed their roles as policy-making bodies aimed at supporting SNA plans and budgets. They have also not proven to be effective representatives of citizens in their jurisdiction. The councils’ processes and methods for capacity development need to be improved so that they can perform this role effectively. Although remarkable progress has been made in areas of social accountability and the establishment of ombudsman offices, the citizens still have limited knowledge about their rights and how to hold SNA councils and SNAs accountable to them.  Level of awareness of the citizens of the strategic purpose of the reforms is also one of another challenges. There are still some mistrusts between SNA and CSOs, and uncertainty about the appropriate framework for CSO engagement.

Technical Partnership meeting between CSOs and SNAs in Battambang

With those challenges, the project has proposed a few changes, especially with the underspend amount to collaborate with NCDDS to conduct orientation on Technical Document on Civic Engagement to Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Battambang province to promote their understanding on Civic Engagement Mechanisms for Sub-national Administrations. The project has also created space for dialogue/interact between Sub-national Administration (SNA) and CSOs, including CBOs to build trust each other’s and develop joint actions to implement the priority joint list of recommendations in promoting citizen participation in Civic Engagement Mechanisms for Sub-national Administration (SNA). This initiative can be continue to conduct regularly to create space for dialogue/interact between Sub-national Administration (SNA) and CSOs, including CBOs to build trust amongst each other and develop joint actions to promot citizen participation in Civic Engagement Mechanisms for Sub-national Administration (SNA). VSG has coordinated with other NGOs in BTB and invited CBOs, local NGOs and citizens to participate in CD forum in 7 target DMs. VSG also raised awareness to citizen and CBOs on the important of The Dissemination and Consultative Forum (CD forum) such as explained to them that the D&C forum is an important mechanism of the accountability platform of the local governments. The D&C Forum provides citizens with opportunities to discuss council reports and make recommendations or proposals for further council discussions and responses. VSG together with CPDD provided coaching and mentoring to CBOs’ representatives to prepare themselves for raising concerns, requests during the CD forum. As result, in Battambang, in 2017 (1,283 participants including 376 females), the figure in 2019 (4,209 participants including 1,477 females) increased by 228% of the total participants who participated in DC fora. Even through the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the total number of participants in the DC fora still stayed relatively high (2,145 participants, 701 females).

Partnership

From the implementation quarter, we have signed the sub-grantee agreement with VSG to implement the project in accordance with approved proposal, budget and work plan as well as in accordance with internal policy and procedure of API and CPDD. In term of partnership with Government, we observed that we have good cooperation local government, especially provincial government. Our member representatives have actively engaged and participated in development partner forum at provincial level. Four quarterly network meetings amongst NGOs’ networks at Provincial level to discuss the advocacy strategies and to reactivate and reform the structure of the network and the functionality of Provincial NGOs’ network in Battambang. As result new structure of NGO network consist of chairperson (VSG), secretary (KAWP), sectoral members, talking points, representatives to raise issues/concerns during meeting with government such as partnership forum, update NGO and CBO list. Communication flow between NGOs and government, especially through telegram group 56 local NGOs has been sent to the telegram group which created by provincial administration and inter division.

Advocacy

CPDD has jointly developed and endorsed two advocacy statements including the advocacy on National Budget Law and the letter to the Swedish government to do not abandon Cambodian democratic and human rights development journey. CPDD has actively engaged in the process of the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goals and target in the Cambodian Sustainable Development Goals (CSDGs) based on the government commitment to review the CSDGs’ goal and targets – this momentum has allowed to influence the government, especially line-ministries to integrate the concerned SDGs’ goals and targeted into the ministries’ commitment and planning.  

Provencal NGOs Network Meeting at Battambang Province

At National level, as result of GIZ-DAR’s support to CPDD, the joint list of recommendation of CSOs was accepted and integrated into NP-II. Civic engagement related recommendations and budget allocation for sub national administration were integrated into joint CSOs’ statement and submitted the government ministries including Ministry of planning, Economic and Finance and MoI) during the mid-term review of NSDP that has been conducted between Sept and Nov 2021. 2020 and 2021 CPDD as part of budget working group and its members actively engage in national budget law development process to advocate for increasing of national budget allocation for sub national administrations. CPDD’s members, conducted the satisfaction survey with CSOs’ representatives working in Battambang province to reflect on existing civic engagement mechanisms of Sub-National Administrations (SNAs) including commune councils and districts/municipalities (D/Ms). The findings showed that the percentage of respondents who experienced participating in existing mechanisms is less than 50%. Moreover, between 65% to 80% of respondents were satisfied with all three service sectors when they had requested these specific services from Sub-National Administrations (SNAs). The findings had been presented to Sub National Administrations (SNAs), Ministry of Interior (MoI), National Committee for Democratic Development Secretariat (NCDD-S), and Ministry of Civil Service (MCS). The results of the survey are accepted by NCDD-S and SNAs.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The monitoring and evaluation conducted the past 17-months, we, CPDD’s secretariat together with GIZ representative has conducted field monitoring to the project implementation to ensure the project implementation quality such as field interviews and consultation meetings at DM level. The monthly caught-up meeting between GIZ, VSG and CPDD has also conducted regularly both national and provincial level with participation from DAR team at the provincial level. The Performance Indicators Tracking has also practiced and submitted to GIZ regularly to keep tracking on the progress against each indicator in the project M&E Framework.