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The Role of Civil Society in Sustainable Development in Cambodia: 1993-Present

The Role of Civil Society in Sustainable Development in Cambodia: 1993-Present. Ngin Chanrith, Ph.D. Director Graduate Program in Development Studies Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Presentation Outline. 1. Defining Civil Society 2. Defining Sustainable Development (SD)

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The Role of Civil Society in Sustainable Development in Cambodia: 1993-Present

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  1. The Role of Civil Society in Sustainable Development in Cambodia: 1993-Present Ngin Chanrith, Ph.D. Director Graduate Program in Development Studies Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

  2. Presentation Outline 1. Defining Civil Society 2. Defining Sustainable Development (SD) 3. Contribution of Civil Society to SD 4. Future of Civil Society

  3. 1. Defining Civil Society Civil society in Cambodia mainly includes NGOs, media, trade unions, grassroots organizations, professional associations, and academic and research institutions.

  4. 2. Defining Sustainable Development Cambodian NGOs: “Ability to live without external help: self-reliance, self-sustenance” (esp. when projects end, communities have physical, financial and human capacity to continue/sustain the projects).

  5. 3. Contribution of Civil Society to SD 3.1. Emergence of Civil Society/NGOs 3.2. Development Activities of CNGOs 3.3. Development Impacts of CNGOs 3.4. Challenges for CNGOs

  6. 3.1. Emergence of Civil Society/NGOs Three intertwined factors: • UN and INGOs: Financial and technical assistance • Favorable legal and economic environment: 1993 Constitution and aid influx (open economy) • Availability of human and financial resources: Money of donors and INGOs; Influx of human resources: returnees, overseas Khmers (and downsized public servants).

  7. Table 1: Number of NGOs and Associations in Cambodia Source: NGO Forum on Cambodia (2006)

  8. Table 2: NGOs’ Budgets (in million USD) Source: NGO Forum on Cambodia (2006)

  9. 3.2. Development Activities of CNGOs • Human rights and democracy • Micro credit • Training/education • Primary health care • Agriculture and environment/NRM • Gender issues

  10. Embedded Areas of Focus: • Empowerment (building economic and political capacity to initiate development activities and to make choices; to reduce patron-client relationship) • Participation (involvement, ownership, commitment) • Community organizing (village development committees, forestry communities, fishing communities, slum comunities, etc.)

  11. Two-Pronge Strategy: • Grassroots development (esp. income generation activities): Direct causes • Policy advocacy with government and donors (individually and collectively): Structural causes

  12. Some exemplars of actors and areas of policy advocacy: • Actors: NGO Forum on Cambodia, Cooperation Committee for Cambodia, Star Kampuchea, MediCam, Action Committee, Cambodia Watch, Comfrel, Nicfec • NGO participation in sectoral working groups: NPRSPs, National Development Plans, NGO Statements to Consultative Group Meetings, NGO Statements on the Monitoring of CG Indicators, Draft Laws (land, forest, corruption, NGO law, etc.) • Irregular NGO Statements on Specific Issues: Land encroachment, Environment/NRM issues, Human rights violation, Corruption, KR trial, Border issues, Urban eviction, Election outcome, etc. • Public Forumson democracy, human rights, the rule of law, elections, KR trial, Daily nuances (esp. land conflicts) with attendance from local authorities and MPs

  13. 3.3. Development Impacts of CNGOs • No macro study on development and policy impacts of NGOs • Micro evaluation studies on some individual NGOs • Concensus among government and donors: Crucial partner in development (basic service delivery; strengthening of democracy, human rights and the rule of law)

  14. 3.4. Challenges for CNGOs • Financial dependence • Donor-driven agenda • Lack of technical/managerial capacity • ‘Charismatic’ management/leadership • Politicization/limited accountability • Small-scale impact

  15. 4. Future of Civil Society: Concluding Remarks • Sustainability of NGOs themselves • More critical role of grassroots organizations (CBOs) • Decentralization/commune councils • Still important roles of government, private sector (SMEs) and donors

  16. References • Ahswill, M. (2000). “Rebuilding a Civil Society in Cambodia: The Role of Education.” Retrieved on October 01, 2004 from http://www.usief.org/cambodia_ashwill.html. • Barton, C. (2006). “NGOs Fear New Law will Curtail their Freedom to Act”. Phnom Penh Post, Issue 15/22, November 3-16, 2006. • Barton, M. (2001). Empowering a New Civil Society. Phnom Penh: Pact Cambodia. • Collins, W.A. (1998). Grassroots Civil Society in Cambodia. Phnom Penh: Center for Advanced Study. • Curley, M. G. (2004). “The Role of the Non-Profit Sector in Transitional Asian Economics: Cambodia Ten Years after UNTAC.”Paper Presented to the 15th Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia in Canberra. Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong. Retrieved on October 01, 2007 from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/APCITY/UNPAN021158.pdf. • Kea, K. (2005). “NGOs and Political Process in Cambodia: A Contribution to Improve a Fledgling Democracy”. Doctoral Thesis. Japan: Nagoya University. • Lao, M.H. (1997). “Building Democracy in Cambodia: Problems and Prospects”. Retrieved on October 01, 2007 from http://www.asiasociety.org/publications. • Mysliwiec, E. L. (1993). “Cambodia: NGOs in Transition.”A paper written for the workshop on “the Social Consequences of the Peace Process in Cambodia.”Phnom Penh, Cambodia. • Ngin, C. (2002). “A Study on Organizational Building of Cambodian Development-Oriented NGOs: A Focus on Determinants of Capacity-Building and Project Success.”Forum of International Development Studies, (22, 235-260). • Ngin, C. (2004). “Strengthening NGO Accountability through Beneficiary Participation: Lessons Learned from Cambodian NGOs”. Doctoral Thesis. Japan: Nagoya University. • NGO Forum on Cambodia (2006). NGO Statement to the 2006 Consultative Group Meeting on Cambodia. Phnom Penh: NGO Forum on Cambodia. • NGO Committee for the Monitoring of CG Indicators (2007). NGO Statement on the Monitoring of CG Indicators. Phnom Penh: NGO Committee for the Monitoring of CG Indicators. • Ou, S. (2006). “Understanding Cambodian NGOs’ Relationships with International NGOs: Focus on CNGOs’ Autonomy and Sustainability”. Master’s Thesis. Japan: Waseda University.

  17. Thank you for your attention! Email: chanrithngin@yahoo.com

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