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Regional Environmental Technical Assistance 5771
Poverty Reduction & Environmental Management in Remote Greater
Mekong Subregion Watersheds Project (Phase I)
By
Gunilla Riska
CONTENTS
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1 |
4 |
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2 |
4 |
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2.1 |
General |
4 |
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2.2 |
Cambodia |
5 |
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2.3 |
China, Yunnan |
6 |
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2.4 |
Lao PDR |
6 |
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2.5 |
Myanmar |
7 |
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2.6 |
Thailand |
7 |
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2.7 |
Viet Nam |
8 |
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3 |
9 |
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3.1 |
General |
9 |
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3.2 |
Cambodia |
9 |
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3.3 |
China, Yunnan |
10 |
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3.4 |
Lao PDR |
10 |
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3.5 |
Myanmar |
11 |
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3.6 |
Thailand |
11 |
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3.7 |
Viet Nam |
12 |
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4 |
13 |
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4.1 |
Government - NGOs |
13 |
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4.2 |
Networking among the NGOs |
15 |
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5 |
18 |
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5.1 |
International NGOs |
18 |
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5.2 |
Local NGOs |
22 |
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6 |
25 |
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6.1 |
General conclusions |
25 |
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6.2 |
Co-operation with RETA 5771 |
27 |
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30 |
The involvement of public participation and non-governmental organisations in development processes has been recognised by a growing number of governments and international organisations. The Government of Finland raised its support to NGOs from 10% of the development co-operation budget in 1998 to 15 % in 1999. In the United States the government has announced that in future it is going to channel about 40 % of its development assistance through NGOs. (Mälkiä & Hossain, 1998)
Equally the Asian Development Bank is emphasising the importance of involving NGOs in Bank activities in order to integrate NGO experience, knowledge and expertise into Bank operations. This is stated in the Bank’s policy paper on Co-operation between the Asian Development Bank and Nongovernment Organisations, published in April 1998.
The RETA 5771 project will be working with people and environments in a selected number of watersheds in the GMS region. The importance of involving the various stakeholders of the project already in the planning phase must be considered crucial for a successful result That includes the NGOs, the international as well as the local ones, working directly with grassroots groups.
This document is describing the emergence and development of NGOs in the Great Mekong Subregion with recommendations for involvement of NGOs in the second planning phase and the implementation phase of RETA 5771. As local NGOs are not recognised in all countries, mass organisations, closely linked to the Parties in the centrally planned countries of Viet Nam and Lao PDR are also included. The report is backed up by separately produced country papers for the six countries participating in the project and by reviews of some NGOs, mainly local, in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam. The content of the regional report represents the findings of a short-term assignment carried out during the first planning phase of the project.
Since mid 80’s, following the rapid economic growth in south-east Asia, and the economic transformation programmes in some of the GMS countries there has been a growing emergence of NGOs in the region. The presence of international and national NGOs in the countries to be included in the project varies, however, a lot among the six countries. International NGOs are found in all the GMS countries and count to about 800, while the local NGOs number some 11 000 and are mainly found in Thailand and Cambodia.
In Thailand, where the NGO movement is most developed, the government recognises the importance of NGOs and they have participated in development activities for more than three decades. Environmental NGOs, both national as well as international, have become a strong voice, and are often confronting the government. The number of local NGOs is also growing fast in Cambodia. In the centrally planned countries the situation varies: although local NGOs are not yet recognised officially in Viet Nam so called "quasi-NGOs" exist; the Constitution of Lao PDR approves of associations and organisations but no enforcement is in place for local NGOs, which are yet to be recognised; in China as well as in Myanmar the number of NGOs are still few and the organisations are trying to find their role among the civil societies. The possibilities to voice concern, which can be understood as criticisms against the government, are not possible. This goes also for the other countries with and exception for Thailand and to some extent Cambodia.
The governments have welcomed the international organisations to work in accordance with their local policy frameworks and see them as sources of external funding and as facilitators and motivators in developing work. Traditionally the NGOs’ have been involved in relief activities in emergency situations and peacekeeping operations, as well as humanitarian aid, usually serving immediate needs. With the years the emphasise has been changed towards work with small community development projects in villages and communities with a focus on human development and the mobilisation of people to participate in the development process. Experiences from development work and various sustainable models are brought to the attention of government officials and other stakeholders and in many countries these form the bases for further discussions on policy development. Through advocacy, either media-centred as in Thailand, or through more modest introduction of new ideas the NGOs have assisted the vulnerable populations in finding a stronger platform for more equal and better livelihood.
The non-governmental organisations working in the region usually have a holistic approach to sustainable development. They work closely to the people often at grassroots level and they work with participatory processes. Traditional sectors are education and health but community development with agro-forestry and linked to that environmental matters are being emphasised. Many of the international NGOs are working with strengthening local NGOs in matters concerning institution building and project work, but also in how to advocate the rights of the rural population. Human resource development is also extended to government officials who in most of the GMS countries still lack competence and experience.
During the 1980’s when the economic embargo on Cambodia kept bi- and multilateral donors away, some few international NGOs offered relief assistance to Cambodia. Due to the strained political situation in the country as well as government restrictions they were not able to work in the field and the assistance was mainly provided at central level often concerning tasks not within the normal scope of NGOs. During the early 90s, when the political climate became more normalised, more international NGOs arrived in Cambodia. With the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1991, and the recognition of NGOs in the National Constitution in 1993, also local NGOs and other civil society organisations began to emerge. Today over four hundred local and international organisations are working with development issues.
The Cambodian Government recognises the importance of the NGOs and is including them in major development functions. Their significant development function especially at community level has been noted in e.g. the first Five-Years Socio-economic Development Plan for 1996-2000, which further states that NGOs are needed and welcomed but their roles will have to change and to revert to a more traditional NGO role and stresses the need for more effective co-ordination and monitoring as well as better co-ordination with the bilateral and multilateral agencies.
The international NGOs are usually working through local structures and providing institutional capacity building, especially at provincial, district and commune levels. Some of the larger NGOs, which are funded from bilateral or multilateral sources, are involved in reconstruction and infrastructure development. In connection with community development activities the basic causes of poverty are tackled.
Development of local NGOs is encouraged and directly supported by international NGOs and includes direct funding and capacity building through training. There has been a rapid growth in the number of local NGOs since 1992; many of these are village or community-based organisations, operating at the local level, with a vast variety in strength and number of activities. They are activity-oriented and usually under-funded. Some of the more successful local NGOs receive funding for special activities from the international NGOs. Local NGOs involving themselves in environmental aspects are still few but an increasing number of local NGOs are incorporating awareness of environment into their projects.
The participation of non-governmental organisations in development activities is a new phenomenon in China and the concept is not clearly understood by the Government or the people. Time is needed before NGOs are fully recognised and accepted. However, in general the Chinese government is in favour of NGOs and encourages people to establish NGOs. The first local NGOs appeared in 1995. Till then all organisations were government organisations.
A small number of international NGOs have established themselves in Yunnan and more are on their way. They work mainly with issues concerning social and natural resources management. A newsletter about development in China and mostly focused on the activities of NGOs is produced by Chinabrief, which also arranges regular NGO co-ordination meetings. These meetings started two years ago.
The main increase in international NGO assistance occurred after the adoption of the New Economic Mechanism (NEM) by the Government of Lao PDR in 1986. Although the Constitution of 1991 approves of the establishment of associations and organisations local NGOs are not officially recognised.
The Government officially acknowledges the importance of international NGOs and their possibilities in reaching vulnerable populations with efficient interventions, however, some mistrust still exist. The number of international NGOs in Lao PDR is growing slowly compared to the situation in e.g. Viet Nam and Cambodia and there are to-day approximately 80 international NGOs present in Lao PDR. The NGOs work in close co-operation with specific government counterparts and can through the local government reach down to local community and village level.
In the past, the work consisted of support to infrastructure development in rural areas as well on health, humanitarian aid and relief, although agriculture also has been a major recipient for a number of years. Since 1996, integrated rural development has been the biggest recipient, with main focus on human resource development.
Only some few international NGOs are operating in Myanmar, and most of them have emerged during the 90’s. They are mainly working with health matters, although some are dealing with natural resources. Local organisations, many with a religious background, are plentiful, and deal with issues concerning health, education and community development. The concept of NGOs is new and not yet clearly understood. No legislation exists.
NGOs have participated in development activities in Thailand for more than thirty years. The first NGOs concentrated on health, literacy and economic activities as a means of promoting overall human development. Their activities targeted mainly rural areas. In the late 80’s the growing concern for the degradation of natural resources involved the NGOs in matters relating to sustainable use of resources. The close association of livelihood issues with environmental degradation has added environmental aspects to community development.
Thailand has in recent years strongly supported NGOs’ in their assistance to the national development and has integrated the participation of the private sector in the national development process. Local communities and non-governmental organisations take active part in the discussion on impacts on the natural resources and the environment and also participate in public hearings. Hence the NGOs also have a key role in monitoring the government’s performance. Despite the official respect for NGOs the relation between the non-profit sector and the state has been quite strained. The government has not developed strategies to monitor activities of non-profit organisations and look at the NGOs, and especially the grassroots and advocacy NGOs, with suspicion. Since 1992 the government has been allowing advocacy groups to operate.
While many NGOs are concentrating on agriculture, others are emphasising natural resources and environmental management. Advocacy NGOs play an important role in protecting the natural resources and the environment. Some of them deal with policy matters (e.g. Foundation for Ecological Recovery), or they form expertise groups (e.g. Wildlife Fund Thailand) others are more research-oriented (e.g. Thailand Environment Institute) or work with raising the environmental awareness (e.g. Thailand Environment and Community Development Association, TECDA).
The number of NGOs working in Thailand is not clear, but there are approximately 30 international organisations and approximately 10 000 local NGOs. The number of foreign NGOs has decreased during the last few years as a result of the fast economic development of Thailand. Today’s radically changed economic situation has not brought back the international NGOs. Most NGOs work in the northern and northeastern part of Thailand.
Following the Policy on reform and renovation "Doi Moi" in 1986, the international NGOs started to emerge. After a period of distrust the Government has began to recognise the NGOs as actors on the scene of development. To-day there are more than 400 international NGOs in Viet Nam. The majority of them are working in rural areas in traditional NGO fields such as health and education and to a growing degree with integrated rural community development. Their local partners commonly local authorities and mass organisations, are usually found at district and commune level.
Local NGOs is a new concept in Viet Nam and there is much discussion whether the organisations often formed by university staff and researchers or ministry personnel and identifying themselves as NGOs actually are true NGOs according to definition. Some have close links with the Government and work as partners to international donors and NGOs mainly in fields like social research, community development and poverty alleviation. These NGOs are becoming more and more independent and are looking for external funding. No legal framework is yet guiding their work.
The mass organisations such as Viet Nam Women’s Union etc have been created by and are being guided and partly funded directly by the central government. They have a network stretching from central policy levels down to village level. The mass organisations are often referred to as NGOs despite their legislative status as governmental offspring.
Only a few of the countries in the GMS have legal frameworks regulating the work of NGOs. In Thailand the Environmental Act of 1992 gives a platform for the environmental NGOs, in Viet Nam the work of the international NGOs is guided by a decree from 1996, while in Cambodia draft legislation for international as well as local NGOs has been prepared. Recently, the Lao PDR government is said to have approved the legislation, however it has not yet been made official.
In all the countries in the GMS, civil societies are recognised in their respective Constitutions and local organisations have been established as associations or foundations. No enforcement guiding local NGOs working in accordance with the philosophies of NGOs involved in development matters and with a wish to work independently of the governments however exits. Draft laws regulating local NGOs activities have been prepared in Cambodia and Viet Nam.
In general the draft Acts include a tightened control of the activities of the NGOs including regular monitoring by government. The Act in Cambodia, however, goes further and includes paragraphs regulating the use of foreign funds in local NGOs as well as stipulates the organisational form of the NGO. All draft Acts require NGOs to register with government.
No legal framework governing the work of the non-governmental organisations exists today. The Constitution of 1993, however, recognises civil organisations.
In, 1996, the Government prepared a draft law concerned with regulations for the activities of the local as well as the international NGOs. This first draft met with criticisms from the NGOs who wanted to have a stronger impact on the content of it. In June 1998 a new draft Law was submitted to the Council of Ministers.
The new draft attempts to control the sources of funding of associations and local NGOs, excluding foreign assistance. Funding sources should solely consist of members' contributions, donations from public authorities in Cambodia, and private donations.
The new draft further states that sources of funding of foreign associations shall only be derived from membership fees or from donations of national or foreign humanitarian donors. Foreign associations are not entitled to receive funds from any government or from public or private organisations. The new draft makes it mandatory that all associations and NGOs function on the basis of membership and organise in assemblies.
A Protocol of Agreement, into which international NGOs will have to enter with the government and which regulates their activities, is at a draft stage with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This Protocol requires that international NGOs register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the new draft Law on NGOs and Associations also requires their registration with the Ministry of Interior. The new draft also sets double registration requirements for local NGOs. Adding to the confusion are disagreements between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Finance on the regulations for NGOs.
UN’s Cambodia Office of the High Commission for Human Rights has officially commented on the new draft law and says that if the requirement of the act was to be implemented, the majority of associations and local NGOs in Cambodia would have to close down; and the majority of international NGOs will be prevented from operating in Cambodia.
There is a lack on clarity about NGO registration processes. The International NGOs usually apply for registration at the NGO Bureau of the Department of International organisation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and enter into a special Agreement Document signed by the NGO representative and the Ministry.
No specific Ministry is responsible for the registration of local NGOs. Usually they register at the Ministry of Interior.
There is no legislation for international NGOs, and they are usually registering as Foreign Enterprises through the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The legal framework is highly restrictive. New rules for international NGOs are being prepared and there is a fear they may well mean tighter control than exists in the current legal vacuum.
The Government in Yunnan encourages the international NGOs to work through a Memorandum of Understanding with a quango set up by the Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation and known as Yunnan International NGO Society.
Local NGOs in China are either associations and foundations and follow the code set for these. Government supports most of the associations while the foundations usually get their funding from membership fees or money from various individuals. Their activities are governed through Peoples Republic of China State Council Order no.250 of September 1998.
There is no legal mechanism for the presence of local NGOs in Lao PDR. According to the Constitution, which was adopted in 1991, it is possible to form associations and organisations, however no law exists to implement the Constitution when it comes to NGOs.
Legislation regulating the work of the NGOs has recently been approved, but has not yet been published and is awaiting printing. The Act contains administrative regulations to be adhered to by the international NGOs, and include regulations on registration, reporting, co-ordination with government bodies and obligations and rights of NGOs. The NGO community has not been consulted when drafting the Act.
At present international NGOs are registered with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and are defined as foreign private non-profit organisations providing developmental and humanitarian assistance.
The few local organisations, which internationally could be defined as NGOs and receive financial support from international NGOs, are registered in line ministries in other capacities.
Although legislation is lacking, there are some regulations governing the work of the NGOs.
Before involving themselves in activities the statues of the local NGOs’ have to be approved by the Minister of respective line Ministry. All NGOs of international standing have to get permission from the Higher State Administrative Organ to work in the country and also have to inform the National Intelligence Bureau and the district authorities to get permission for in-country travel.
Non-profit organisations are governed by the Civil and Commercial Code, which specifies the legal purposes and method of governance for non-profit organisations. Legally recognised and registered by Thai government are two entities: associations and foundations. Unregistered organisations, including development and religious groups, may or may not be recognised by the government, but do relate to Thailand’s non-profit sector, either as component or borderline entities.
Many developmental groups prefer not to register in order to avoid reporting requirements. Although all non-profit organisations are required to register, the National Cultural Commission, who registers associations and foundations, has neither the authority nor the manpower to monitor unregistered group. Thus, it cannot initiate any actions against those who do not register.
The Enhancement and Conservation of National Environment Quality Act of 1992, provides a legal basis and gives policy guidelines to enhance interaction between government agencies and environmental NGOs on issues related to environment. It recognises the role of NGOs in the conservation of the environment, and spells out their rights and duties in the enhancement of national environmental quality. The Department of Environmental Quality Promotion is the registrar for the NGOs working in natural resources and environmental conservation. The registration is not compulsory, however those registered with the department can apply for financial support for development activities.
The operations of the international NGOs are governed by a Decision from 1996 issued by the Prime Minister. This decision includes regulations on the operations of foreign non-governmental organisations in Viet Nam. All international NGOs have to be registered with the Committee for NGO Affairs, get permission for operations and work in accordance with the guidelines issued for the implementation of the regulations.
The Standing Agency for international NGOs is the Viet Nam Union of Friendship operating under the Committee, with The People’s Aid Co-ordinating Committee as its functional body.
No legislative foundation for local NGOs still exists. However, there is a group of organisations operating like NGOs, which are registered under a government umbrella with reference to Decree 35/HDBT and the inter-ministry Circular no 195-LB, allowing the formation of private and governmental organisations for scientific research and technological innovation and exchange. Regulations governing activities of mass organisations were promulgated in 1989 and 1990.
Co-ordination of NGO activities is in general loose, although some of the countries have systems in place and have founded special bodies to co-operate with the NGOs. These bodies, e.g. PACCOM in Viet Nam and CDC in Cambodia act as middlemen between NGOs and local authorities, monitor the activities of the NGOs and co-ordinate and facilitate the efforts of the NGOs.
Even though the national policy of the Royal Government of Cambodia is not yet formalised, the Government has created some co-ordination mechanisms at different levels.
The Council for the Development of Cambodia/Cambodian Rehabilitation and Development Board is the only national level Government Organisation co-ordinating all the sectors. It was established in 1993 by the newly elected Government for the purpose of co-ordinating and facilitating all international aid and investment in Cambodia. NGO co-ordination was included among its duties.
Sectoral level co-ordination mechanisms exist in every Ministry that has technical relations with NGOs. The Protocol Agreements contain the responsibilities of the parties involved in co-operation. Some Ministries have created sectoral and sub-sectoral co-ordination committees, or similar bodies, to facilitate ongoing co-operation. The provincial level of the line Ministries co-ordinates the work within the same sector within the provinces.
Co-ordination of activities carried out by international as well as local NGOs is loose and mainly consists of discussions between government authorities at various levels. Permission can be sought at ministerial level to carry out a project but no approval is needed for project plans and budgets.
Decree No. 71/PM regulating the activities of NGOs has recently been published but detailed guidelines and clarification are still awaited. So far matters related to aid management, monitoring, supervising and managing foreign grants and loan-assisted projects are designated to the newly constituted Committee for Investment and Foreign Economic Co-operation. Functions related to planning and statistical co-ordination are assigned to the likewise newly created State Planning committee.
Projects suggested by the NGOs for implementation have to be approved by the line Ministry and the NGO personnel will be designated to line ministries, departments or government agencies. These authorities will have a say in the planning, implementing and monitoring of the projects. The government has shown some openness to decentralising decisions regarding community development supported by NGOs. Contracts for NGO development projects go through provincial and district authorities. However, confusion over the new procedures has led to major delays for many projects.
Co-ordination and interaction between NGOs and the Royal Thai government has been established through both official and unofficial channels. The National Council of Social Welfare was set up as early as 1960 to co-ordinate development efforts of NGOs and the government sector. The National Council of Buddhist Youth Association and the Office of the National Committee on the Promotion and Co-ordination of Youth Affairs were formed to facilitate the dialogue between the government and NGOs in youth development efforts. A national level NGO-Co-ordinating Committee on Rural Development and NGOs networks in different regions was formed during the 1980’s, mainly to improve communications and co-ordination among NGOs. These networks also provide an important link between the NGOs and government agencies. (Thailand’s Action Plan for Sustainable Development, 1997).
The International NGOs receive permission for a period of two years to undertake their activities, and there is no requirement to be linked to a Thai organisation. The NGO must follow the application agreement, the procedures specified by the NGO Co-ordinating Committee, and act within the laws of Thailand. The International NGO must also evaluate the project and programme and submit a report detailing their progress every six month period.
The competent authority for the issuance, extension, amendment and withdrawal of Permits is the Committee for Non-Governmental Organisation Affairs. The standing agency for foreign non-governmental organisation affairs of the Committee is the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations, while The People’s Aid Co-ordinating Committee ( PACCOM) of the Union has been appointed to be the focal point for foreign NGOs and the functional body, addressing all issues relating to foreign NGOs’ activities in Viet Nam under the leadership of the Committee and the Union. All information concerning NGO activities in Viet Nam shall be consulted with PACCOM.
PACCOM is also working as a middleman between the international NGOs and their Vietnamese partners and local authorities in order to facilitate the activities of the NGOs. They collect information on the NGOs, conduct research and recommend the Government on proper policies with regards to NGOs.
The international NGOs report to the Committee and the project holder agency which can be a Ministry, line agency, central office of People’s organisation, People’s Committee of province/district or centrally-administered city.
Several Government authorities are responsible for issuing permits and monitoring the activities of local NGOs, however, there is little co-ordination between these agencies and with other Government departments. Research and training institutes are registered under a relevant ministry or agency belonging to the ministry; private organisations register with local government and mass organisations belong under the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, which reports to the Party and the central Government.
The local NGOs are required to submit their project plans to the responsible authorities for approval. Monthly reports on programme activities are submitted to the authorities, but no system for monitoring the activities exist.
Networking among the NGOs seems to be especially intensive in Cambodia were the international NGO community has established several umbrella and some 60 sectoral working groups, although the outputs from the Thai networks regionally are more obvious due to their good media contacts. These groups have a growing policy impact with regards to e.g. civil rights, gender matters and environmental issues.
Different forms of regional networking exists; several of the international NGOs makes regional linkages to draw experience from other programmes in the region, some of them have sister organisations in neighbouring countries and regularly exchange views and experiences with colleagues there. These are e.g. Care, Save the Children, Oxfam, Action Faim, Food for the Hungry, NCA and CIDSE, World Vision, Concern. Some NGOs have also established regional offices, e.g. NCA, with an office in Vientiane, and World Vision in Bangkok. Terra, which is a Bangkok-based environmental NGO works across the region with NGOs and peoples’ organisations in Burma, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Issues concerning development of the Mekong is followed by several international organisations, e.g. Terra in Thailand, the two US organisations International Rivers Network and Mekong River Information Network, and the Japanese Mekong Watch Network and e,g, the Environmental Working Group of NGO Forum in Cambodia. These NGOs are in close co-operation with NGOs in the GMS.
Several umbrella organisations for NGOs exist in Cambodia, with a mandate to promote dialogue and networking. Among these are the Co-operation Committee for Cambodia (CCC), which can be said to represent a collective voice of the NGOs in Cambodia in negotiation with the Government and various donors and organisations, and the NGO Forum on Cambodia.
Within the framework of the various umbrella organisations, and with CCC and the umbrella organisation NGO Forum as focal points, close to 60 working groups meet regularly to discuss and exchange experiences on common issues. Participants represent in addition to international and Cambodian NGOs, also staff from government offices and other international organisations. CCC and NGO Forum have prepared directories listing these working groups per sector, geographic area and organisation.
Among these working groups and arranged by NGO Forum is the working group on environment, which is focusing on the Mekong River Basin Development; and the working group on ADB, where the study group e.g. participates in project assessments, and informs local NGOs and community leaders about ADB projects. Among the CCC working groups the social sector is well represented, with e.g. active groups in WID. Sectoral networks are e.g. MEDICAM involving NGOs working with health issues, EDUCAM facilitating exchange of information among NGOs in matters concerning education, the Social Research Forum and the two election coalition NGOs – Coffel and Comfrel.
Several sectoral umbrella organisations exist to co-ordinate local NGOs involved in similar activities
Networking among the international NGOs is fairly weak, although the NGO community has made efforts to coordinate activities and exchange ideas.
To improve co-ordination between NGOs, Government and other organisations an NGO Forum existed between May 1994 and August 1996 when the permission to operate was withdrawn by the Government with reference to the regulations to be drafted by the Government for the NGOs. Co-ordination between NGOs has thereafter been done through informal meetings and sectoral co-ordination group meetings. Some of these groups were established in the beginning of the 90’s. Participating in these sectoral groups are NGO staff, and especially their Lao staff, personnel from other international organisations and government staff.
Among the sectoral groups are: Community Health Action Modular Participatory Approach (CHAMPA); Gender Development Group (GDG); HIV/AIDS Group; Lao Training Network (LTN); Sustainable Agriculture Forum (SAF); Technical Advisory Group (TAG)
The voice of the NGOs has been heard at many occasions and their views taken ad notam by the government. A nation-wide NGO umbrella organisation, however, does not exist, while some of the NGOs with stronger ties have formed groups, such as e.g. NGO-Cord, Thai Volunteer Service Foundation, The Local Development Institute (LDI)/ Local Development Foundation (LDF) and Its Networks in addition to various informal networks. Networking among the NGOs is often loose and more ad hoc depending on issues arising. This is especially true when it comes to advocacy, where lobbying and campaigning plays a big role.
The National Economic and Social Development Board encouraged and supported the formation of NGO-Cord, which is recognised by several government organisations and funding agencies as a major representative of the Thai NGO community. The government has asked it to actively participate in the formulation of the national 5-year plans as well as to serve as member of several working groups and subcommittees on various development issues. Because of its large membership and regional diversity, regional NGO-CORDs have been established for better co-ordination and flexibility.
In some areas networks are established on an informal basis. These networks rely upon organisations with similar ideology and a firm belief in the strengths and benefits of networking or working together Several are found within the environmental sector.
The international NGOs have formed the umbrella organisation NGO Resource Centre, with the aim of improving the capacity of the international NGOs and their partner organisations. Together with the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) the NGO Resource Centre is producing the NGO Directory.
The main purpose of the NGO Resource Centre is to improve the capacity of international NGOs and their partner organisations in Viet Nam. The Centre promotes closer links and co-operation through exchange of information, sectoral discussions and training. Within the frame of the Centre a number of NGOs have formed networks, which meet regularly to exchange experience and information.
Among these networks are e.g.: The Craft Working Group to support handicraft development among poor artisans; the UN-NGO Forum, of which two sectoral groups have developed i.e. The Street Children Forum, and the Education Forum; the Ethnic Minorities Working Group, the Gender and Development Group, the Volunteers Co-ordination Club, the Reproductive Health Interest group, the Landmines Campaign Group and the Safe Motherhood/Midwifery Group.
The political situation of the six countries in the GMS has had an impact for the existence of international NGOs. While there have been international NGOs in Thailand for close to 40 years, the development has been different in the other countries. During the 60’s some few international organisations were operating in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam, but most pulled out during the times of unrest. The economic liberalisation in the end of the 80’s and the Paris Peace Accord in 1991 brought the international organisations back to Viet Nam, Lao PDR and Cambodia and the number has been growing fast in especially Viet Nam and Cambodia. Thailand, however, has seen a decline in number of international NGOs who following the fast economic growth in the country looked for countries with a bigger need for assistance. The last years’ economic difficulties have not brought the international organisations back.
Most important among the roles plaid in development is that of reducing poverty. Development is promoted mainly through grassroots programmes targeting poverty alleviation; community based natural resource management, health and education. A limiting factor is, though, the shortage of educated local people and many projects include capacity strengthening as a component in their projects. The building up of institutions does not only take place at grassroots level but e.g. local government staff at commune/district/provincial level receives appropriate training. The Governments see the international NGOs not only as development workers reaching vulnerable groups and working in close co-operation with government officials as well as community-based groups, but also as sources for external funding.
The exact number of international NGOs in each country is not available. The figures in the box should be seen as approximates only.
|
Cambodia China, Yunnan Lao PDR Myanmar Thailand Viet Nam |
200 10 80 10 30 400 |
Before the general elections of 1993, the few international NGOs present in Cambodia, were the main players at the development scene and had fundamental roles in the rehabilitation of e.g. education, health, and infrastructure at national level. When bi-and multilateral donors stepped in the beginning of the 90’s, the NGOs returned to the traditional NGO sectors with emphasis on community development work while the larger organisations involved themselves in large-scale assistance programmes.
Today there are more than 200 international NGOs present in Cambodia. They are working towards sustainable and equitable development in Cambodia and are especially considering the development of human resources fundamental to long term socio-economic development. Other themes of priority are alleviation of power and respect for the rule of law. (NGO Statement, February 1999).
Most important among the roles plaid in development is that of reducing poverty. Development is promoted mainly through grassroots programmes targeting poverty alleviation; community based natural resource management, health and education. A limiting factor is, though, the shortage of educated local people and many projects include capacity strengthening as a component in their projects. The building up of institutions does not only take place at grassroots level but e.g. local government staff at commune/district/provincial level receives appropriate training. International organisations involved with strengthening local organisations are e.g. Australian Catholic Relief, Oxfam Quebec – OCSD, CIDSE, PACT and NGO Forum. Several international NGOs are also thinking ahead and planning for a localisation of their organisations and thus include training of staff in both local and international NGOs.
The NGOs work in close co-operation with government authorities in different ministries and at different levels, usually only in one province or area. Through Village Development Committees, which are part of the Rural Development Structure to be implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development, the NGOs can support the villagers in developing their capacities for planning, maintaining and evaluating integrated rural programmes.
The NGOs play a role in policy formation, and are represented in e.g. donor meetings discussing development context and dialogues with government officials and representatives from other donor agencies. However, although networking among the NGOs is intensive several NGOs still carry out their projects in isolation and thus cannot provide an input to a collective policy dialogue
Considering the very short time NGOs have been operating in Yunnan and their unclear legal position the working climate is considered difficult with many obstacles. Among the bigger international development NGOs there are e.g. Save the Children UK, Medecins Sans Frontiers – Holland, Oxfam Hong Kong, Yunnan –Australia Red Cross HIV/AIDS Prevention Youth Peer Education, and World Vision. (see Annex I).
Main partner organisations are usually provincial level government bureaux with whom they have a MOU on a particular project.
Chinabrief is producing a highly respected publication about development in China and mostly focused on the activities of NGOs. They also as the informal secretariat of a Yunnan Development Forum, which originally was a monthly get together of INGOS working in the province but which now also includes people on bilateral programmes and Chinese proto-NG0s in order to create a better forum for exchange of views
The international NGOs in Lao PDR, work closely with government counterparts, mainly with the local government but also national level and primarily through the Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Health, Education, and the local organisations Lao Red Cross and Lao Women’s Union.
In the past the work consisted of support to infrastructure development in rural areas as well on health, humanitarian aid and relief, although agriculture also has been a major recipient for a number of years. Today, integrated rural development is the biggest recipient, with main focus on human resource development. Strengthening the capacity of Lao partner-organisations, government as well as private is considered a focal point.
In order to engage more Lao citizens in NGO work, many international NGOs are involving their local colleagues directly in the operation of their organisations’ programmes and in two cases the international NGOs are run by Lao citizens.
Pure advocacy NGOs as e.g. in the neighbouring countries of Thailand and Cambodia are not present in Lao PDR. The Government expects the NGOs to work in accordance with Government’s political framework and do not accept critical voicing. However, introducing new ways of approaches, innovations and development models is accepted.
International NGOs from countries such as the Netherlands, the United States, Switzerland, France, Japan and the United Kingdom are working in Myanmar. E.g. Care, Oxfam, Action Faim, Save the Children, Food for the Hungry, and several other international NGOs are involved in poverty alleviation through projects aimed at increasing production of food crops, better health and education. They are also involved in strengthening the capacity of local organisations. Most of them have started operations after 1992.
The NGOs work through the government system and co-operate with village based organisations such as Farmers’ income generation Group (FIGG), Women Income Generation Group (WIGG) and Village Resource Management Council (VRMC).
Thailand has received foreign volunteers since 1961. Assistance during the first decade was mainly in the field of education. In addition, they assisted in public health projects such as malaria eradication and medical technology. In the area of community and rural development, the overseas volunteers worked on projects under the Community Development Department and the Public Welfare Department.
Assistance from the 1970s up to now has been more project-oriented. Overseas voluntary service assistance has diminished during the past two decades in the field of education but has increased in the field of rural development. During the same period, there has also been financial assistance to support various rural development projects
In the late 1970s and early 1980s some tension between government and non-government organisations was caused by suspicious feelings from Government side. Many government agencies were concerned that foreign funders were penetrating liberal non-profit organisations. Labour movements and advocacy activities were viewed as being initiated and financially supported from outside Thailand. This led to tightened rules and regulations
Today there are 27 international NGOs working in Thailand. These international NGOs can apply to become a foundation or association if they so wish, but they must specify a Thai citizen or organisation to be their representative to support this application. The number of international NGOs working in Thailand mainly reports organisations that have established an office in Thailand. The majority of international NGOs that organise seminars or training courses tend to organise these in the name of a Thai counterpart agency, as the procedure is relatively simple. In reality this should be undertaken via the above mentioned procedure but in practice this rarely happens as reported in the records held for international NGO activities in Thailand.
There are more than 400 international NGOs at present working in Viet Nam. A majority of the NGOs is working in rural areas. They are promoting development mainly through various grassroots development programs targeting poverty alleviation, community based natural resource management and natural conservation, and are helping local people articulate their views. NGOs are also involved in activities advocating more environmentally and socially sound long-term development strategies.
Most programmes include a capacity building component designed to improve local partners’ management skills, especially those of local governmental officials. The most common activities are training in agriculture and forestry, project design and management, and needs assessment skills, study tours, and farmer-to-farmer exchange visits. Training of local staff to run the international NGOs is carried out by some NGOs who are planning to localise their operations
Their local partners are found at district and commune level and commonly their main partners are the local authorities and mass organisations at the grassroots levels. To a growing degree other local organisations are selected as partners.
The first Thai NGO, Thailand Rural Reconstruction Movement, was established already in 1969 and the number has since then grown tremendously, while the other GMS countries have had a much slower development of their civil society sector. Following the Paris Peace Accords in 1991 and the new constitution in 1993 the arena opened up for local NGOs in Cambodia, which now has a wide variety of different organisations, most of which are locally based grassroots level organisations established by the rural people themselves.
In the centrally-planned countries Viet Nam and Lao PDR the mass organisations closely tied to the Party have dealt with village and community level development and a need for more participatory oriented organisations was not felt. The new economic liberalisation programmes, Doi Moi in Viet Nam and NEM, New Economic Mechanism in Lao PDR, however, opened the doors for moor independent development oriented organisations. While Viet Nam recognises organisations dealing with research and science, Lao PDR does not yet approve of local NGOs although the constitution provides for the establishment of associations and foundations. In China and Myanmar the concept of NGOs is still very new and not well understood by the Government officials or the people.
Common features for the local NGOs in Thailand and Cambodia are that the majority are village or community-based organisations with an enormous variety in strength and number of activities. Many of these are involved in sustainable poverty alleviation, and operate on a very small scale and with very limited budget. Some have succeeded in obtaining small amounts of funding from international NGOs; some receive no funding at all.
Constraints facing the local NGOs in the whole GMS are usually connected to:
The changing political climate in Cambodia, the transitional role of the state and the new Constitution opened the doors for an emerging civil society. The first Cambodian local NGO, Khemara, was established in 1991 and the number grew quickly after the general election in 1992. The exact number of local NGOs active today is not clear, but figures between 300 and 1000 have been mentioned, most of them not registered with the Government as development organisations.
Most of the local NGOs are working at village or community level with activities concerning human rights, peace, democracy, and community development. Local NGOs involving themselves in environmental aspects are still few but an increasing number of them are incorporating awareness of environment into their projects. They deal to a very limited extent with training and technical assistance or research to be used in development of new projects. Most of the projects are small and directed towards a specific activity. The financial situation is poor although some of some of the more successful local NGOs receive funding for special activities from the international NGOs and are gradually being involved in projects implemented by bi- and multilateral organisations.
Some of the bigger local NGOs are active in training, policy research, civil rights and advocacy at national level. Several of them have partner-organisation arrangements with one or several international NGOs and thus receive expatriate assistance and foreign funding support. These NGOs play an important role in development work and advocacy. There are hardly any local intermediary NGOs in Cambodia, which could provide support to other local NGOs and exchange of information, and experiences done through the umbrella organisations only reach a fraction of the local NGOs.
The NGOs in Cambodia work as individual organisations independent of he government, who eyes them with some suspicion.
There are a large number of organisations, which have been established as associations or foundations and are dealing with research and dissemination of information. Local development NGOs are, however, still trying to find their place among the civil societies. As the concept of NGOs, and especially the non-profit aspect, is not clearly understood, the people are still reluctant to support the NGOs.
Government supports most of the associations; e.g. the Association of Birds, the Association of Environmental Science and the Association of old People. The foundations usually get their funding from membership fees or money from various individuals.
According to the government policy a province can have only one NGO for each type of sector. Establishing an NGO is complicated and also involves a registration fee and an activity fee. As the financial situation of the NGOs is poor they have difficulties in raising the funds needed. There are today in China 5-6 environmental NGOs.
According to the Constitution, associations and foundations can be established in Lao PDR. Some professional associations, trade associations, religious associations, Red Cross etc are operating, however only some few development oriented organisations are present. This is mainly due to the new concept of NGOs not yet approved for local organisations. The Government does not fully understand the concept and look at NGOs with mistrust. Hence the local organisations fear that voicing their views will be considered negatively by the Government.
In addition to these groups several mass organisations participate in development matters. They are closely linked to the Party and have a network stretching from top level down to grassroots level. Due to shortage of trained people in Lao the local organisations face problems caused by lack of capacity, competence and professionalism. This is more evident with the growing number of internationally funded development project draining the resources of qualified staff.
Among the mass organisations, i.e. Lao Women’s Union, Lao Youth Organisation, Lao Patriotic Front for Reconstruction, Lao Trade Union, the Women’s Union is of special interest in development context as the Government has entrusted them the task of upgrading the role and status of women and actively involving them in the development process.
Encouraged by the Government the organisations and activities of a number of government related NGOs have developed considerably since 1991. Like in the neighbouring countries of Thailand and Cambodia many of them are affiliated with various religious groups. They work in sectors such as health, education, literacy, youth activities, orphans, community development and street children. NGOs as a concept is not yet clearly understood and their possibilities to work independently are limited.
The first Thai NGO, Thailand Rural Reconstruction Movement was established in 1969. Today there are approximately 10 000 local NGOs with a wide diversity of interests. How many who actually are working with development matters is not clear. Besides traditional NGO fields such as health and education, many NGOs support community development projects including the promotion of agro-forestry and environmental issues. The latter is included in the objectives of many NGOs. One of the most legitimate roles of the NGOs is to challenge the mainstream development trend and to offer alternative appropriate methods of development.
The majority of the NGOs are small organisations with less than 10 members and few are registered. They exist as associations, foundations, research institutes, forums, groups, projects or committees, working with a holistic approach with the aim of reaching sustainable development.
External funding is estimated to account for 70-90 % of the budget of most NGOs. This percentage is however declining and the NGOs have to find new means for funding their activities.
The local NGOs are well recognised by the Government, although the co-operation is not necessary smooth, and are considered an important partner in policy and development dialogues.
The Policy on reform and renovation in the end of the 80’s led to the establishment of local non-governmental and non-profit organisations. At present there are a growing number of non-profit organisations representing a big variety of activities. These organisations are usually registered under a government agency, call themselves NGOs, do not usually get financial support from the government and are only loosely monitored. Quite a number of them have been established by universities and research institutes or by the personnel or staff, often retired, of these organisations and of various ministries. Thus the link to government is often strong and they are well familiarised with the governmental policy frameworks. A weakness, though, is the often poor network at the grassroots level. The international community supporting them through partner–organisation arrangements often calls them quasi-NGOs.
As there is no legal framework for local NGOs, the monitoring of their work is fairly unclear, as is their role in the community. There is no information on the number of organisations working with development matters.
Government mass organisations such as Viet Nam Women’s Union, Youth Union, Farmers Association and Veteran Soldiers’ Confederation and other state bodies, which are closely linked to the Party and the central Government are considered important for implementation of government policies as their network goes through the hierarchical structure down to grassroots level. Despite their legislative status as governmental offspring, they are often referred to as NGOs. Due to decreased government subsidies the mass organisations have to look for external funding. This has led them to a reorientation towards new approaches in their development activities resulting in a growing co-operation with international organisations and donor agencies.
The capacity and competence of the mass organisations is in general weak. They are short of trained staff at management level and often lack technical capacity and experience. This is especially true at lower levels in the hierarchy.
The role of the NGO in the project can, for instance, consist of
Technical support to a special activity or component;
Managing a sub-project on a sub-contract;
Intermediary between the Project and a local NGO or a mass organisation;
Implementing a project or a sub-project on their own;
Partner in policy dialogue.
The country report on Cambodia is based on interviews and information from the following list of documents:
