COUNCIL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAMBODIA (CDC)


Decentralization and Poverty Reduction

NGOs want to emphasize that decentralization does not automatically imply poverty reduction. Nevertheless, lessons learnt from international experience have shown that pro-poor decentralization might be achieved if: (i) the rural poor are properly organized to protect their own interests; (ii) organized groups of the rural poor are small and homogeneous; (iii) government agencies and NGOs involved in rural development do not overpower the councils and grow too big; (iv) different programs target different sub-groups within the poor; (v) the emphasis of rural development projects is on informal on-the-job training rather than institution-bound training; and (vi) the role of NGOs is clearly defined and free of bureaucratic trammels. While recent Prakas have addressed many of the concerns relating to decentralization expressed by the NGO community, some key issues remain to be tackled to foster a pro-poor decentralization process. Cambodian civil society lacks experience in interacting with local authorities as advocates or monitors. Citizens must understand the powers and functions of the councils and their own rights to influence the council decision-making process. NGOs recommend to foster the participation of an active grassroots civil society and to provide adequate and transparent funding in order to establish Commune Councils legitimacy within their communities. For further information on these issues and the recommendations proposed, please refer to the Decentralization paper on page 16. \| Content \| Back \| Top \| Next \|