Need Assessment for Vulnerable Groups

In order to make local authorities more responsive to the real problems of citizens, we first need to know what these problems are. Especially for vulnerable groups, it is often difficult to articulate their concerns in an effective way, since their voices are often ignored. Therefore, in our EU-funded project dedicated to building capacity for local councillors, we put a lot of effort in interviewing persons with disabilities, seniors with dependent children, women and low income citizens, helping them discuss their needs and demands with the authorities and identify solutions.

At the beginning of August 2020, our project team led by our trainers, Dr. Vothana Prum and Mr. Oeurn Sim, continued these activities in the province of Kampong Thom, after similar surveys had taken place last month in Banteay Meanchey and Pursat. Within three days, a number of volunteers, community accountability facilitators, local officials, as well as representatives of our implementing partners from Aide et Action and AMDCSPUR helped us interview almost 300 persons from six different districts of Kampong Thom. At the same time, we offered local councillors in this province the training they need in order to better perform their functions and assess the needs of their constituents by themselves in the future. The results of our data collection efforts in all six provinces where our project is currently being implemented will flow into decision making processes at the local level, and will also be published on our website and our Facebook page.