NGO Forum on Cambodia’s quarterly member meeting was held on May 03, 2017 at Phnom Penh Ecumenical Diakonia Centre (PPEDC/ICF) from 08:00AM – 12:00PM, chaired by Mr. Ngin Saorath a member of NGO Forum Management Committees, executive director of CDPO with 122 (36 female) participants.
Dr. TEK Vannara, NGOF executive director updated the progress coordinated by NGOF such as (i) concern of NGOs on hydro power dam was heard by inter‐government of Mekong River Committees, (ii) 65% of NGOs’ comments were addressed by government ministries, (iii) concerns of CSOs on force evictions, human rights, and land dispute were discussed and gradually addressed in the high level meeting of the first committee of National Assembly, (iv) MEF engaged NGO working group represented by NGOF in the quarterly technical working group meeting, (v) CSOs working group was coordinated to discuss on the development of guideline for EIA process, (vi) all stakeholders agreed to continuous solving remain issues of Lower Sesan II, (vii) bi‐monthly meeting with 08 network members were conducted to discuss on sensitive issues and roadmap of advocacy strategy, (viii) submission of statement to the ASEAN integration meeting to demand for enforcement support to small farmers’ livelihood, (ix) NGOF represented its members in the weekly meeting with key embassies, (x) coordinated NGOs for quarterly meeting with MLMUPC, and (xi) MRD would take issues of IPs for addressing with concern ministries.
Mr. Ngin Saorath moderated two key honorable guest speakers (i) H.E Som Sorida, Deputy Secretary General, National Election Committees (NEC) and (ii) Mr. Kul Panha, Executive Director, Comfrel on progress to commune/sangkat council election in the 4th mandate in 2017. There were 81.38% of citizen had registered in the voter list. There were 1,646 communes/sangkat with 11,646 seats for commune councilors. Total commune/sangkat council candidates (including reserve) were 94,595 candidates (25,788 women). Till May 01, 2017, total observers for commune/sangkat election were about 83,418 people (17,811 women). The total national observers were 24,041 people (8,659 women) and international observers were only 31 people (16 women). NEC had already ordered the black ink from India for finger print during election. COMFREL was recruiting the additional observers for election. One trained observer could control or manage two stations/offices and would use smart phone for sharing and transferring information to situation room.
Parallel discussion on inputs and standing position of CSO/NGO for requesting to all political parties which will address when they win commune/sangkat council election in the 4th mandate in 2017 had divided into four groups such as group 1: natural resource management, group 2: public financial management and budget transparency, group 3: commune/sangkat development plan and commune investment plan, and group 4: Human right, democracy, decentralization, good governance and public service.
Mr. Ngin Saorath, chair of the meeting had summarized key notes of the quarterly member meeting and appraised for the fruitful result including way forward for upcoming challenges. Finally, chair of meeting closed the NGOF quarterly member meeting at 12:00pm in the same day.
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