Network Support Programme Activity

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Overall Goal of the Project

The overall goal of this project is to promote NGO Sector contributions to development of Cambodia by building up relationships with Royal Government of Cambodia Officials, Donor Agencies and other agencies.

CCC and CDRI propose to jointly organize a seminar between Provincial and District Governors and NGOs working in provinces throughout the country, in order to increase mutual understanding of the roles of government and NGOs in the development of Cambodia and explore mechanisms for future collaboration, particularly with relevance to the new decentralized structures of the government (commune councils) and the recent passage and partial implementation of the new Land Law.

This activity would also extend CCC's outreach work to the provinces and set the foundation for improved coordination of information and services to NGOs in the provinces and feedback into the CCC NGO Coordination role for such activities as the NGO Publications Unit and the NGO Statement to the Consultative Group Meeting. These seminars could also forge a new strategic partnership with CCC, Member organizations, Provincial Governors office, and Provincial NGO Networks.

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Specific Objectives

• Increased understanding of the roles of NGOs and Governors in contributing to the economic and social development of Cambodia through active dialogue and information sharing.

• Strengthen CCC and Provincial Networks capacity to share, exchange and disseminate information on NGO coordination activities and rural development issues, including new land law and NGO Statement to Consultative Group Meeting 2003.

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Activities and Implementation Schedule

a) Seminar with Provincial Governors and NGOs (CCC and CDRI)

CCC and CDRI will jointly prepare and organize a one-day seminar in May for 50 Provincial Governors and Officials and 50 NGOs selected from CCC member organizations, local NGOs and local Provincial Networks. Preparation of the seminar will take at least three months as such pre-seminar activities will include compiling information collected from questionnaires sent to NGOs and Governors on their knowledge, attitudes and contact with one another to better inform the preparation of the seminar session plans.

Careful planning and preparation of the actual seminar sessions, is essential to ensure a positive and constructive dialogue between NGOs and Government Officials. CCC staff will be responsible for the logistical preparation, along with CDRI staff. This will require technical support from a NGO Service Organization experienced with facilitating training as well as conflict resolution sessions. One CCC member training organization has been identified already to assist with this process. The CCC Executive Committee will steer this process by setting up a working group to review the plans and some NGO Directors have volunteered to participate in the planning sessions.

b) NGO Provincial Network Workshop

As an important link and follow up to the NGO - Provincial NGO Governors seminar, CCC proposes to make at least two visits to an NGO Provincial Network to follow up with identified actions from the seminar in May on Government-NGO collaboration. In addition, CCC will organize a smaller workshop with Provincial NGO Networks in September and will report on the NGO-Governor Seminar.

CCC plans to organize a meeting with the 15-20 Provincial NGO Networks in Phnom Penh in September to exchange information on NGO coordination activities, including a NGO Mapping Exercise. CCC will use this opportunity to share information on the Consultative Group (CG) Meetings (1992-2002) and the importance of NGO participation. We would like to begin the process for NGO input into the CG Meeting for 2003 by encouraging direct issue papers from Provincial NGO Networks to be included into the NGO Statement 2003. This workshop will serve to inform NGOs of the CG Meeting benchmarks, collect information on implementation at field level and begin process of providing information into the NGO Statement to the CG Meeting scheduled for late 2003.

c) Series of meetings/visits with NGO Provincial Networks

CCC has long established links with many NGOs throughout the country, through CCC membership, CCC activities, general support services to local NGOs and through participation in other activities. CCC relies on NGOs to provide information on their activities for the CCC NGO publications but has not been able to do extensive outreach or collection of data due to staff and time limitations. There is a demand for CCC Program Staff to visit more Provincial NGO Networks to assist with gathering information, as well providing more information to smaller NGOs. CCC plans to use the seminar and workshops to exchange and gather information with NGOs at the provincial level, and such information will include CCC NGO Directories, Land Law video, Consultative Group Meeting and NGO Participation.

For example, the RGC plans to launch a video, CD and comic book on the new Land Law as part of their communications and public information campaign. They have expressed interest in having NGOs distribute and discuss the land law video/CD/comic book to communities to help inform people of their rights and responsibilities with regards to land. CCC plans to support the dissemination of the Land Law video through Provincial NGO Networks as well as through its regular CCC Membership Meetings and the CCC Analyzing Development Issues Course. CCC may also include this as part of the implementation plan of the NGO Provincial Workshop and will discuss this further with the Ministry of Land Management.

A more detailed breakdown of the proposed project activities follows:

Dates	Activities	Who
March 2003	Draft and Pre-Test Questionnaire to NGOs and Provincial Governors Distribute Questionnaire Questionnaire to NGOs - Follow up Planning of Seminar Sessions	CCC and NGOs CDRI, MoI, CCC CCC and CDRI
April 2003	Compile Questionnaire Results Prepare Seminar Session Plans Preparation for Seminar (logistics) Identify NGO participation	CCC and CDRI
May 2003	NGO Pre-Session for Seminar Provincial Governors and NGOs Seminar Prepare Seminar Report Identify Follow Up Activities	CCC CCC/NGOs and CDRI/MoI/PG
June/July 2003	Presentation of seminar results to CCC Membership/wider NGO community Seminar Report Distribution Follow up with Seminar/Action Plans	CCC
June/August 2003	Preparation of NGO Provincial Network Workshop (NGO PN) Field Visits to Provincial Networks (PN)	CCC and PNs
September 2003	CCC and NGO PN Workshop •  NGO Mapping Information •  CG Meeting History/NGO Participation •  Preparation for NGO Statement 2003	CCC and PNs
October 2003	Preparation of NGO Information/ Issues for CG Statement 2003 Report of PN Workshop	CCC and PNs
November 2003	Follow up Activities Submit Reports	CCC and PNs

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Expected Results from the Project

• Increased understanding of NGOs and Provincial Government Roles;

• Closer links between CCC, CDRI, NGOs and Provincial Governors Office for coordination of development activities;

• Strategic Partnership between CCC and Ministry of Interior for NGO-Government Cooperation;

• Establish mechanism for future collaboration and support by CCC to Provincial NGO Networks on NGO Coordination and NGO Information Activities;

• Improved information on rural development issues from Provincial NGO Network input to NGO Statement to Consultative Group Meeting;

• More accurate and complete information on NGO projects and programs in the provinces.

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Beneficiaries of the Project

The beneficiaries of the project are CCC Member organizations, Local NGOs and Provincial NGO Networks directly, as well as the Provincial Governors Offices as this dialogue will contribute to strengthening discussions regarding development plans and activities of NGOs in Cambodia. Indirectly, rural Cambodians will benefit from improved coordination of development plans and discussion of issues affecting rural livelihoods, such as access to land.  

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Involved Parties (Organisations)

Institution	Main Role
CCC (project facilitators; project manager)	•  Overall management of the project •  Organisation of questionnaire for NGOs, coordination of dissemination of questionnaire to NGOs and evaluation/analysis of questionnaire and consultation results •  Organisation and coordination of NGO workshops/consultations; reporting of workshop results and dissemination of these results •  Management of the funds •  Writing of progress and financial reports
CDRI	•  Assistance in the Organisation and coordination of NGO workshops/consultations; reporting of workshop results and dissemination of these results

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Factors Ensuring Sustainability

CCC will partner with CDRI for the Provincial Governors-NGO Seminar as CDRI organizes an annual development conference for the Provincial Governors.  As such, CCC can access the annual seminar between CDRI and the Provincial Governors for follow up as needed.  In addition, the NGO Provincial Networks have monthly or quarterly meetings so CCC can tap into existing networks both for NGO follow up and for Provincial Governor collaboration as needed. In addition, the Consultative Group Meetings are held every 12-18 months, therefore NGO activities, inputs and follow up, can be planned around the annual meetings and the semi-annual progress meetings. 

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Monitoring and Evaluation

The Provincial Governors-NGO Seminar proceedings and results will be reported on and will contain recommended follow up actions.  The Provincial Governors-NGO Seminar Report will outline suggested activities for CCC, NGOs and Provincial Governors and these will be in the final report progress report. 

The NGO Provincial Networks will be documented in a Directory and distributed to CCC Member Agencies, Provincial Networks and Provincial Governors Offices.  NGO Provincial Networks will be invited to submit issue papers for the Consultative Group Meeting and these will be included in the NGO Statement to the CG Meeting.  These will ensure that the local-level issues and voices from the provinces are documented and presented at the national policy level.  

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