Democratic Governance

The Royal Government of Cambodia recognizes that good governance is a prerequisite for economic development and poverty reduction. As such, UNDP supports the Government to strengthen systems, institutions and mechanisms that enable elected representatives, officials and communities to perform their functions effectively, from the national to the local level.

UNDP works closely with the government to improve democratic governance in the following areas: decentralization and local government Governance development through decentralization and deconcentration reform, parliament, democratic debate, women’s empowerment and inclusion of marginalized groups. We are also helping to build a more robust democracy by strengthening electoral and parliamentary processes through providing long-term support to institutions, civic education initiatives and the media.

In the area of local governance, the new Organic Law on the Administrative Management of the Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts and Khans represents an opportunity to provide local voices to the communities and to strengthen representation and participation. The decentralization and deconcentration reform, which aims to devolve key functions and budget to the local level, is expected to increase efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of social services to the rural poor, thus enhancing access to health and education. The reform also has the potential to enable local economic development planning, thus reducing socio-economic disparities between regions.