Background

Established in December 2000 CCSP began as a coalition project of a number of NGOs. The overall goal of the project was to ensure that decentralization and local governance reforms process in Cambodia that began with the enactment of the Commune Council Laws and geared up following the holding of first commune council election in February 2002, address local concerns, encourage local participation and take account of local needs. The objective of the project is to strengthen civil society groups to effectively perform their respective roles and influence and participation in the government’s decentralization and de-concentration reforms initiatives.

Following the recommendation of a six-month action research during its initial phase, CCSP implemented a two-year [2002-03] project proposal [phase 2] called Promoting Pro-poor Local Governance. The activities of CCSP-phase 2 were designed around four broad areas: information dissemination, advocacy, capacity building support, and research.

CCSP raised the level of awareness and understanding of NGOs and CBOs on the issues related to decentralization, the formation of commune councils, and the roles that NGOs and CBOs can play in the process. This was achieved through multi-media information dissemination activities, mainly through the CCSP Bulletin [now changed to D&D Bulletin], CCSP Resource Library, and by organizing and conducting workshops in Phnom Penh and in all provinces and municipalities in Cambodia to facilitate information dissemination work. Likewise, CCSP also disseminated over 12, 000 copies of laws, decrees, and other government regulations; as well as booklets and guides on understanding decentralization. Furthermore, the project provided support and advice to existing NGO networks in the country, particularly in the understanding the local governance reforms and on the potential roles that NGOs could play in the governance reform process. Given its credibility and popularity, a high level government committee called National Committee to Support Communes [NCSC] mandated CCSP to set up and operate the NGO Liaison Office [NLO] within the Ministry of interior.

During its third project phase [2004-05], CCSP introduced two pioneering initiatives. It implemented a social accountability project-citizen monitoring of public service delivery at the local level through introducing a report card methodology, called citizen rating report [CRR]. CRR project was piloted in 13 provinces of the country. It also introduced the best practice awards program to honor and award best practices of excellence in local governance through promoting civil society-government partnership and collaboration.

Built on the success of predecessor project phases, CCSP has now entered well into its fourth project phase, called “Strengthening Civil Society Influence and Participation in Decentralization and Deconcentration Reforms”. In its current phase CCSP is also keen to strengthen linkage and partnership between civil society and the government through capacity building of civil society organizations, strengthening NGO networking at the local level and promoting and facilitating for sustained positive relationship between NGO- government through re-invigorating its NGO Liaison Office [NLO].