CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT Q3 FY19 QUARTERLY REPORT APRIL 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2019 JULY 30, 2019 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development by East-West Management Institute, Inc. CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT Q3 FY19 QUARTER REPORT APRIL 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2019 Prepared under USAID’s Cambodian Civil Society Strengthening Project Contract Number AID-442-C-16-00002 Submitted to: USAID/Cambodia on July 30, 2019 Contractor: East-West Management Institute, Inc. Disclaimer This report is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the East-West Management Institute and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT CONTENTS TABLE OF ACRONYMS …………….…………………………………………………………………….…………………ii PROGRAM OVERVIEW …………………………………………………………………………………………………....1 CCSS Q3 FY1 RESULTS AT A GLANCE………………………..……………………………………………………….2 PROGRESS UNDER EACH TASK ………………………………………………………………………………………...3 TASK 1: Support to Cambodian Civil Society …..……………………………………….………….3 TASK 2: Enhance Technical and Organizational Capacity of Civil Society …….……..15 TASK 3: Analytical and Technical Services ………………………………………………….……..23 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED/RESOLVED………..…………………………………………………………………23 ANNEX A: PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ….………………………………………………………..…………..24 ANNEX C: LAC PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT-CSO FORUMS….……………….………………..32 ANNEX D: PROGRESS TOWARD OUTCOMES…………………..…………..………………………….………33 ANNEX E: CSO REQUESTS AT CIVIL SOCIETY ALLIANCE FORUM……..…………………………….….35 ANNEX F: MEDIA COVERAGE OF WONDERS OF THE MEKONG EVENT……..………………….....36 ANNEX G: BCV SUCCESS STORY……………………………………………..……………………………………….37 ANNEX H: SUMMARY OF OACA AND CDP STATUS ………………………….………………….………....38 ANNEX I: ADDITIONAL COACHING SESSIONS BY VBNK……………………………………………………40 Q3 FY19 REPORT APRIL 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2019 i CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT TABLE OF ACRONYMS ACI EWMI’s Advocacy Capacity Index AGM Assistant Grants Manager AOR Agreement Officer Representative APS Annual Program Statement CBCLO Capacity Building of Cambodia’s Local Organizations Project CBO Community Based Organization CCC Cooperation Committee for Cambodia CCSS Cambodian Civil Society Strengthening Project CDP Capacity Development Plan CDRI Cambodia Development Resource Institute CIP Commune Investment Plan COP Chief of Party COR Contracting Officer Representative CPAR USAID Contractor Performance Assessment Report CRD constitutional rights defenders CSO civil society organization DCOP Deputy Chief of Party DGF CCSS’ Democracy and Governance Fund DRL State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor EWMI East-West Management Institute FIT Financial Improvement Team GAU Grants Administration Unit GESI Gender Equality and Social Inclusion GNA Grassroots Network Advisor GIS geographic information system GMP Gender Mainstreaming Policy GPP Good Practice Project GRC Grants Review Committee GUC grants under contract HRD human rights defenders IG informal groups INGO International Non-governmental Organization ISD™ Impact Strengthening Development Certification Program LANGO Law on Associations and Non-governmental Organizations LDF CCSS’ Legal Defense Fund M&E Monitoring and Evaluation NGO non-governmental organization NRM natural resource management OACA EWMI’s Advocacy and Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool OCAT Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool OCI EWMI’s Organizational Capacity Index OST Organizational Scanning Tool PEA Political Economy Analysis PIMS Portfolio Information Management System PMEP Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan PTAR Potential Transition Award Recipient TAP Technical Assistance Plan UPR Universal Periodic Review USAID US Agency for International Development Q3 FY19 REPORT APRIL 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2019 ii CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Civil Society Strengthening Project (CCSS), Contract Number AID-442-C-16-00002, is a five-year contract awarded to the East-West Management Institute, Inc. (EWMI) by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with a period of performance from June 27, 2016 to June 26, 2021. The goal of the CCSS Project is to increase the capability of Cambodian civil society to engage in democratic processes by representing citizen concerns. The objectives of the project are to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Cambodia, and provide analytical and technical services to USAID/Cambodia’s Office of Democracy and Governance to respond to opportunities for democratic development. Affiliated Network for Social Accountability Cambodia meeting with community people in Chan Village, Ta Veaeng Leu Commune, Ta Veaeng District in Ratanak Kiri province to discuss Check My School project activities. Under Task 1, CCSS administers two grant funds: 1) the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), which provides legal representation to constitutional rights defenders and CSOs, and 2) the Democracy and Governance Fund (DGF), which awards competitive grants to support strategic initiatives that promote engagement of citizens in governance. Under Task 2, CCSS delivers capacity development assistance to CCSS grantees, organizations that do or may receive direct support from USAID,1 and grassroots/informal groups. Under Task 3, CCSS is responsible for conducting a Political Economy Analysis (PEA) and two public opinion 1 These include Annual Program Statement (APS) partners and Potential Transition Award Recipients (PTAR). Q3 FY19 REPORT APRIL 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2019 1 CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT surveys. EWMI’s key subcontractors on CCSS are VBNK, which delivers most of the Task 2 assistance, and BDLINK, which conducts the surveys. CCSS Q3 FY19 RESULTS AT A GLANCE Legal support to civil society on compliance with Cambodian laws Legal Aid Cambodia (LAC) continued to support legal compliance by national and international CSOs. • LAC provided legal assistance to 95 CSOs, ranging from presentations on legal requirements to individual consultations. • Consultation on the Law on NGOs and Associations (LANGO) accounted for 38% of these cases. Engaging citizens CIRD organized its first public consultation on consumer protection, focusing on food safety. Concrete results for citizens • 3SPN gained the support and cooperation from local authorities to stop illegal fishing in a protected area on the Srepok River in Ratanak Kiri province. • In response to citizen requests at community meetings organized by NAS, the government constructed 64 new toilets; repaired four roads, 12 canals and 10 shelters; connected electricity for 20 families; resolved two land conflicts and took administrative action in 703 cases. • Youth in Oddar Meanchey formed a self-help group, based on training from YCC, with several concrete results: • Built a day care center on land donated by local officials with construction funds contributed by group members. • Built two 3,000 meter roads with funds raised from local authorities and the community. • Raised capital for local businesses, which in turn helped to reduce migration, through a savings and credit program. • Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN) received the prestigious 2019 Energy Globe Award, a well-known award also known as ‘Nature’s Nobel Prize,’ for its environmental protection efforts. Strengthening CSO capacity • CCSS held a 3-day training on participation methods and analysis, led by consultants from the Institute from Development Studies in the UK. • VBNK delivered a three-day training Financial Management for Non-Finance Managers and its first basic social media course. Q3 FY19 REPORT APRIL 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2019 2 CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT Q3 FY19 REPORT APRIL 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2019 3 CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT PROGRESS UNDER EACH TASK2 TASK 1: Support to Cambodian Civil Society EWMI-CCSS provides legal representation and advice to address time-sensitive challenges to the activities and liberty of individuals under LDF grant category 1, and the operations or existence of CSOs, and to assist organizations to obtain and maintain operational status under the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO) and other Cambodian laws under LDF category 2. SUB-TASK 1.1: Legal Defense Fund Representing Constitutional Rights Defenders (CRDs) CCSS continued its subgrant award to LAC to represent CRDs. LAC continues operating its activities with nine lawyers as its pool for assigned cases and Vishnu has two lawyers who are ready to take cases. Supporting legal compliance With respect to Category 2, LAC provided a range of assistance to 95 CSOs, from raising awareness of legal issues at workshops and forums to providing consultations and representation to those organizations seeking to comply with Cambodian laws. Legal assistance issues in Q3 FY19 LAC provided legal consultation sessions to 13 CSOs by phone, and held individual meetings with three CSOs. About 38% of these consultations concerned the Law on Associations and Non-Government Organizations (LANGO), as shown in the chart above. 2 For complete results on performance indicators see Annex A. Q3 FY19 REPORT APRIL 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2019 4 CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROJECT LAC also conducted five presentations on