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FUTURE PROSPECTS OF LOCAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION IN CAMBODIA : Moving Beyond aid and the Relevance of Social Entrepreneurship. Cambodia Research CJCC, Phnom Penh 24 March 2011 Chhith Sam Ath, Executive Director, The NGO Forum on Cambodia samath@ngoforum.org.kh.
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FUTURE PROSPECTS OF LOCAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION IN CAMBODIA: Moving Beyond aid and the Relevance of Social Entrepreneurship Cambodia Research CJCC, Phnom Penh 24 March 2011 Chhith Sam Ath, Executive Director, The NGO Forum on Cambodia samath@ngoforum.org.kh
Outline of Presentation • What is Civil Society in Cambodia? Five categories • What are the roles of Civil Society? • In what sectors are NGOs active? • Trends of local and international NGOs • Funding and Contribution • Challenges face by CSOs/NGOs • Future prospects and trends of local NGOs • NGOs and Associations Law • Funding sources and its challenges • Future prospective on funding and effectiveness • Introduction to the NGO Forum • Conclusions
Five categories of civil society Organizations • Traditional Associations/religion groups frequently linked to pagodas (1,111 association registered). • Community based organisations, village development committees, women, youth, farmer groups etc. • Non-Governmental Organisations, 1,564 registered local NGOs (450 active) and 316 International NGOs • Trade Unions, 370 trade unions by August 2005 • Other, think tanks, business associations, etc
Functions of Civil Society • Check, monitoring and restraining the government’s exercise of power- Advocating for changes- demanding accountability • Training and empowering community and broad sectors in human rights • Serving as channels by which ideas, concerns, demands of affected people can reach decision makers • Serving as school of democracy and human rights- fostering democratic culture and social capital
What are the roles of Civil Society? • Channel for service delivery where governments are unable or unwilling to provide basic social services • Facilitator of dialogue and negotiation • Social conscience – holding authorities accountable for their actions, • Corrective – campaigning against abuses of power and for the protection and promotion of Human Rights • Source of policy advice - e.g. for peace building or poverty reduction
In what sectors are NGOs active ? • CSOs/NGOs significantly contribute to social and economic development in Cambodia. • Important sectors are: • Health & Education • Governance & Administration • Community, social development • Rural Development & Land Management • Environment & Conservation • Agriculture • Gender • etc. • NGO disbursements exceeded USD 203 million in 2009
NGO core funding sectors and delegated cooperation 2009 (USD million)
Key Challenges faced by CSO/NGOs • Limited technical capacity, notably in relation to management and governance • Lack of recognition for represented in dialogue with Gov’t and DPs • Difficulties in accessing relevant information • Lack of long term, sustainable funding • Uncoordinated demands from donors • Lack of coordination, overlapping catchments and project • Limited democracy space for dialogue with Gov’t and DP • Concern over the draft law on NGOs and Associations
Issues of development aid and its effectiveness: Future prospects and trends of local NGOs • CSOs/NGOs depend on donor findings • Donor driven toward ownership of NGOs and community people • Good governance among the sector need to be improved • (16 of 3,000 NGOs registers as NGO good practices) • Localization process • International to local NGOs • NGO project/s to community based organization (empowerment)
Continue • Rehabilitation, reconstruction, development (service delivery) and advocacy • Emerging trend of social entrepreneurship toward self-reliance is still limited. • Community mobilization to protect their rights and interest.
Update on the NGOs and Associations Law • Since late 2008, NGO Forum has worked very hard on this issue by strongly coordinating with CCC, MEDiCAM and CHRAC. • A joint statement was issued in mid 2010 asking RGC to: 1) release the draft law, 2) allow resource persons from ministries to attend NGO hosted consultations, 3) seek meaningful and series consultations. • Our collective efforts have resulted in: • the draft was shared by MoI on 15 Dec. 2010 • National Consultation was postponed from December 28th to 10th Jan 2011. • Most of the NGO/CSO concerns and comments were heard by the MoI and MFA and the public with the hope that these be reflected/incorporated in the second draft. • NGO and MOI representatives will meet on 29th March to discuss on the second draft.
Funding mobilization and Soruces for NGOs/CSOs • Funding mobilization and sources • Provide training, evaluation, assessment etc. • Provide catering services • Generate income from the credit and savings project • Member contribution and support • Renting meeting and workshop room etc. • From core fund (churches, and other NGOs) • Development partners • Other from individual
Challenges for fund mobilization • Key Challenges • Lack of clear plan and implementation for the sustainable of the organizations • No clear resources diversification strategy • Lack of initiative toward social entrepreneurship • Less donors who have a long-term supports • Confusion of profits and non-profits organization. • Idea of commercialization of the NGOs is limited.
Future prospective on funding and effectiveness • CSO/NGOs need to coordinate planning, funding, implementation and evaluation • Improved internal governance system • Continue to have strong coordinating among NGOs to have a strong voice (advocacy) • Improve quality of the programme -- research and evident based advocacy. • Improve technical capacity to be effective engage with the gov’t and DP.
Introduction of the NGO Forum on Cambodia The NGO Forum on Cambodia is a membership organisation for 87 local and international NGOs It exists for information sharing, debateand advocacy on priority issues affecting Cambodia’s development. The NGO Forums seeks for pro-poor policies, fair and just benefits from the development and good governance. NGO Forum facilitates and maintains the activities of 11 NGO networks/Fora. NGO Forum wishes to engage constructively with all development stakeholders NGO Forum has four programs: Core; Development Issues; Land & Livelihoods; Environment
NGO Forum’s networks/forum River Coalition in Cambodia (RCC) Environment Core team (ECT) Pesticide Reduction Network (PRN) Economic Development Network (EDN) Development Policy Forum Aid Effectiveness Budget Monitoring Land Action Network for Development (LAND) Forestry and Plantations Network (FPN) Indigenous Minority Rights network Resettlement Action Network (RAN)
Advocacy Relationships through the NGO Forum Com m unity Com m unity Com m unity Com m unity Com m unity Com m unity Com m unity NGO NGO NGO NGO NGO NGO NGO Forum membership NGO Network NGO Network Management Committee Project Officer Project Officer Program Manag. Program Manag. Admin/Finance Dep. Exec. Dir. Exec Director NGO Forum office NGO Forum Through the NGO Forum, NGOs are coordinated and able to speak with one voice to : Regional/ Internat - Donors, ional Advocacy Embassies, Government Campaig ns Aid Agencies
Development Issue’s Framework • All NGO Sector/Group • Monitor NSDP, JMIs, Priority Development Agenda PFM, EI revenue Management Development Issues Forum Development Issues Forum Economic Development Network Economic Development Network Aid alignment, transparency, accountability, development effectiveness Aid alignment, transparency, accountability, development effectiveness Aid Effectiveness Working Group Aid Effectiveness Working Group Budget Monitoring WG Budget Monitoring WG Budget transparency, credibility, PFM monitoring
Conclusion • CSOs/NGOs have significantly contribute to economic and social development in Cambodia. • For sustainability of their funding, CSOs/NGOs need to have a long term planning. • Coordination among the CSOs/NGOs is important to ensure effectiveness. • Building capacity of the community is an importance for NGOs that need to be considered. • Democracy space is an important for CSOs/NGOs to ensure effective development. • Social entrepreneurship is a movement toward self-reliance.
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