lao pdr: unesco country strategy 2020-2021

LAO PDRUNESCO Country Strategy

2020–2021

LAO

PD

R U

NESCO

Country Strategy 2020–2021

Published in 2020 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, FranceandUNESCO Bangkok Office

© UNESCO 2020

Author and Editor: Peter PrixGraphic designer: Peter Prix and Narisara SaisanguansatCover photo: © UNESCO/S. Chaiyasook

TH/DOC/EO/20/010-Revised

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L A O P D R | U N E S C O C O U N T R Y S T R AT E G Y 2 02 0 –2 021

It is my great pleasure to present the UNESCO Country Strategy (UCS) 2020–2021 for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). This document presents UNESCO’s strategic framework for engagement with the Government of Lao PDR, UN entities, international development partners, universities, schools, and civil society organizations to respond most effectively to Lao PDR’s expressed development needs, priorities, and aspirations, including those outlined in the Government’s Vision 2030 and the 10-Year Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2016–2025.

This UNESCO Country Strategy for the Lao PDR was prepared following extensive consultations with the Government of Lao PDR, academia, development partners, and civil society actors who have contributed to the identification of programmatic intervention priorities of UNESCO’s support to Lao PDR for the timeframe 2020–2021.

With the common vision to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as in pursuit of

Lao PDR’s vision and journey of graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, UNESCO reinforces the multitude of efforts made by the Government through multidisciplinary approaches and support within UNESCO’s areas of mandate.

Lao PDR, as a very active member of the ASEAN community and United Nations Member State, has shown its vision and commitment to achieving sustainable development while "leaving no one behind" through partnership and cooperation.

UNESCO, as a specialized United Nations agency and member of the United Nations Country Team in the Lao PDR, is committed to continuing supporting the Government of and the people living in Lao PDR in achieving this vision.

By working hand-in-hand with the Government, UNESCO has achieved significant progress in Lao PDR since the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, Thailand started operating in 1961. Over the past 58 years, UNESCO has supported

ForewordUNESCO's Role in today's and tomorrow's Lao PDR

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Shigeru AoyagiDirector

UNESCO Bangkok

the Government of Lao PDR and its people in the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, and the pursuit of sustainable development through education, the sciences, culture, and communication and information.

UNESCO’s interventions in and its support to the Lao PDR are coordinated by the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific and UNESCO Cluster Office to Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, which has long-standing partnerships with the Government of Lao PDR and other development stakeholders.

Looking ahead, UNESCO remains committed to working closely with the Government and civil society in Lao PDR, jointly addressing identified remaining challenges towards sustainable development through collaborative approaches and cooperation that is inclusive, recipient-driven and mutually reinforcing.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Government of Lao PDR and to all actors and colleagues who are contributing to the successful implementation of UNESCO’s interventions outlined within this strategic document. On behalf of all staff at the UNESCO Regional Bureau and Cluster Office in Bangkok, I gratefully acknowledge the continuous support and collaboration of the Government of Lao PDR and the Lao National Commission for UNESCO.

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This UNESCO country strategy provides a strong foundation for the partnership between UNESCO and the Government of Lao PDR, as well as a platform for dialogue and engagement of UNESCO with its stakeholders, donors, and partners at the country and regional level.

Several ministries, namely the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, were extensively consulted in the formulation of the strategy and contributed to the identification of UNESCO’s comparative advantage in the country. Aligned with UNESCO’s mission and mandate, UNESCO’s strategic framework highlights its efforts to serve Lao PDR with a focus on achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic joined UNESCO in July 1951, and the National Commission was established in March 1968. Over the past five decades, as a member of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Bodies,

through the National Commission for UNESCO, Lao PDR has actively contributed to advancing the objectives of UNESCO and has worked successfully with partners, in the building of peace and the advancement of equitable and sustainable development through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.

Looking ahead, our Government remains committed to working with and supporting UNESCO’s mandate and contributing to the maintenance of peace and the advancement of sustainable development through international cooperation.

On behalf of the Chairperson of the Lao National Commission for UNESCO, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to UNESCO for its continued support to the sustainable development of Lao PDR. We gratefully acknowledge the support and collaboration of UNESCO and look forward to the successful implementation of interventions outlined within this strategic document over the next two years.

PrefaceLao National Commission for UNESCO

H.E. Mrs Sengdeuane LachanthabouneChairperson, Lao National Commission for UNESCO

Minister for Education and Sports, Government of Lao PDR

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Abbreviations and Acronyms

DGE ....................Department of General EducationDNFE ..................Department of Non-Formal

EducationDTE .....................Department of Teacher EducationEAC .....................Educate A Child InitiativeECCE ...................Early Childhood Care and EducationESD .....................Education for Sustainable

DevelopmentESDP ...................Education and Sports Sector

Development PlanESSDP .................Education and Sports Sector

Development PlanGCED ..................Global Citizenship EducationGDP ....................Gross Domestic ProductGII .......................Gender Inequality IndexGNI .....................Gross National IncomeGSICS ..................Graduate School of International

Cooperation Studies Kobe University

HDI .....................Human Development IndexHRBA ..................Human Rights-Based ApproachICH .....................Intangible Cultural HeritageLDC .....................Least Developed CountryLESMIS ...............Lao Education and Sports

Management Information SystemMoAF .................Ministry of Agriculture and ForestryMoES .................Ministry of Education and SportsMoICT ................Ministry of Information,

Culture and TourismMoNRE ..............Ministry of Natural Resources

and EnvironmentMoW ..................Memory of the World ProgrammeNFE .....................Non-Formal EducationNRES ..................Natural Resources and

Environment StrategyNSEDP ...............National Socio-Economic

Development PlanOOSCY ...............Out-of-School Children and Youth

PFM ....................Public Financial ManagementPPP ....................Purchasing Power ParityPTDC .................Provincial Teacher

Development CentresRBM ....................Results-based ManagementSDGs ...................Sustainable Development GoalsSTEM .................Science, Technology, Engineering,

and MathematicsTEMIS ................Teacher Education Management

Information SystemUCS .....................UNESCO Country StrategyUIS .....................UNESCO Institute for StatisticsUN ......................United NationsUNESCO .............United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUNPF .................United Nations Partnership

Framework

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Contents

FOREWORD .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... IPREFACE .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................IVABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .............................................................................................................................................................................................VINTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2

PART 1: STRATEGIC VISION ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2 Lao PDR and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ........................................................................................ 4

1.3 UNESCO in Lao PDR ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

1.4 Partnerships .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

1.5 UNESCO’s Comparative Advantage in Lao PDR..................................................................................................................................... 7

1.6 UNESCO and the United Nations Family .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

1.7 UNESCO’s Intersectoral Approach to Development ........................................................................................................................ 9

PART 2: SITUATION ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................11

2.1 Summary Analysis of Lao PDR’s Development Context .........................................................................................................11

2.2 Education Context .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................12

2.3 Natural, Social, and Human Sciences Context ......................................................................................................................................15

2.4 Cultural Context..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................17

2.5 Communication and Information Context ..................................................................................................................................................19

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PART 3: COOPERATION FRAMEWORK AND PARTNERSHIPS .................................................................................................................................... 21

3.1 UNESCO’s Strategic Role in Lao PDR .................................................................................................................................................................21

3.2 UNESCO Programming Principles in Lao PDR ...................................................................................................................................... 22

3.3 Cooperation Framework and Partnerships ............................................................................................................................................. 23

3.3.1 EDUCATION: System strengthening for quality inclusive education that fosters peace, eradicates poverty, equips learners with 21st century skills, and drives sustainable development ..............................................................................................................................................................................23

3.3.2 NATURAL SCIENCE: Advancing and harnessing science and technology for sustainable human living, sustainable development, climate change action, and promoting knowledge, capacities, and scientific research ................................................................. 27

3.3.3 SOCIAL AND HUMAN SCIENCES: Supporting mutual understanding and working together to building inclusive societies and lasting peace ........................................29

3.3.4 CULTURE: Building capacities and promoting Lao PDR’s diverse tangible and intangible cultural heritage and its creative industries as drivers for sustainable development and social cohesion ...................................................................................................................................................... 31

3.3.5 COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION: Strengthening the preservation of and access to documentary heritage in Lao PDR.........................................................................................................35

PART 4:MONITORING AND EVALUATION ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 37ANNEX 1: COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIPS MATRIX ....................................................................................................................... 38

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3 World Heritage Sites

3 World Heritage Sites enlisted on UNESCO's World Heritage List.2 Tentative Sites enlisted on UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage.

1 ICH Element

1 Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Element inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

33 ASPnet schools

33 Schools and teacher training colleges participating in UNESCO's Associated Schools Network (ASPnet).

UNESCO and Lao PDR

1 MoW Inscriptions

1 Element inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Register.

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The UNESCO Country Strategy (UCS) for Lao PDR outlines UNESCO’s multi-sectoral engagement and cooperation strategy supporting the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) in the achievement of national development priorities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within UNESCO’s areas of comparative advantage in education, culture, natural, social and human sciences, as well as in communication and information.

The UCS for Lao PDR covers the period from 2020 to 2021 and is aligned with Lao PDR’s 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2016–2020 and the Lao PDR – United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF) 2017–2021. The country strategy is needs-based and demand-driven in pursuit of national ownership and relevance of UNESCO interventions in Lao PDR.

With this strategy, UNESCO reaffirms its commitment to further deepen its engagement with stakeholders in Lao PDR in support of the country's journey to graduate from LDC status by 2024, as well as in pursuit of the Government’s Vision 2030 to become an upper-middle-income country, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to turn Lao PDR’s economy into a knowledge-based economy by 2030.

As per its mandate and comparative advantage in Lao PDR, UNESCO provides institutionalized support and technical assistance, convenes stakeholders, acts as an innovation laboratory, and strengthens national capacities through targeted programming that is human rights-based and that promotes the key principles of inclusion, equity, and gender equality.

Education

Transforming Lives through Quality Education.

Culture

Protecting Our Heritage and Fostering Diversity.

Natural Sciences

Leveraging Science for a Sustainable Future.

Communication & Information

Promoting Freedom of Expression, Media Development, and Access to Information.

Social & Human Sciences

Enabling people to create and use knowledge for just and inclusive societies.

INTRODUCTIONUNESCO's vision: Everyone in Asia and the Pacific enjoys and contributes to a peaceful and sustainable future.

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Part 1: Strategic Vision UNESCO’s Engagement Rationale in Lao PDR

1.1 OVERVIEW

1 World Bank, “Lao PDR | Data,” 2015.2 Ibid.3 UN, “Human Development Indices and Indicators. 2018 Statistical Update,” United Nations Development Programme, vol. 27,

2018.4 Peter G. Warr, Sitthiroth Rasphone, and Jayant Menon, “Two Decades of Rising Inequality and Declining Poverty in the Lao

People’s Democratic Republic,” SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2709320.5 “Drivers of Poverty Reduction in Lao PDR,” accessed October 19, 2019, https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/lao/publication/

drivers-of-poverty-in-lao-pdr.6 “United Nations Lao PDR – United Nations Lao PDR – SDG 1: No Poverty,” accessed October 20, 2019, http://www.la.one.un.org/sdgs/

sdg-1-no-poverty.

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is the only land-locked country in Southeast Asia. Located on the Indochinese peninsula between Thailand and Viet Nam, and sharing borders with Cambodia in the South, China in the North, and Myanmar in the West, Lao PDR has a population of 7.06 million people.1

With a GDP per capita of USD 2,568 (current US$, 2018), Lao PDR is classified among the group of lower middle-income countries. The Human Development Index (HDI) 2018 ranked Lao PDR as 139 out of 189 countries, placing it in the « medium human development » category.2,3

Over the past twenty years, Lao PDR has made great progress in social and economic development, including halving the absolute poverty rate, reducing hunger, and improving education and health outcomes. The economy of Lao PDR has continually grown at a pace of around 7.5% p.a., access to basic public services have significantly improved, and absolute poverty

has declined from 46% in 1992 to 23% in 2015, lifting more than a million people out of poverty. Until today, Lao PDR is one of the fastest growing economies in East Asia and the Pacific.4,5

However, while the absolute poverty incidence has halved over the last two decades, the distribution of private household expenditures in Lao PDR has become more unequal. Particularly within urban areas, inequality has increased and the strong and continued economic growth has benefited the richer quintiles more than the poorer segments of the population. Many people escaping poverty remain close to or slip back below the poverty line – about half of the poor in 2013 were not poor in 2008. Until today the poverty rate in rural areas of Lao PDR is 2.9 times that of urban areas. One-third of the population in upland areas lives still below the poverty line, while in lowland areas, about one-fifth of the population remains poor (18.8 percent).6

https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2709320

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/lao/publication/drivers-of-poverty-in-lao-pdr

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/lao/publication/drivers-of-poverty-in-lao-pdr

http://www.la.one.un.org/sdgs/sdg-1-no-poverty

http://www.la.one.un.org/sdgs/sdg-1-no-poverty

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1.2 LAO PDR AND THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

7 Lao People et al., “Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Voluntary National Review on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” 2018.

8 Ibid.

Lao PDR attaches great importance to sustainable development and the Government of Lao PDR is strongly committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In September 2016, Lao PDR formally launched and adopted its own national SDG 18, called “Lives safe from unexploded ordnance”. Working closely with UN agencies and other development partners, the Government of Lao PDR successfully leverages international support to accelerate progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

The Prime Minister chairs the National Steering Committee for SDG implementation, with members of the Committee drawn from all concerned ministries, ministry-equivalent agencies, and mass organizations. Further, a National SDG Secretariat, appointed by the National Steering Committee for SDG implementation and led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as well as SDG focal points within each of the relevant line ministries, lead the SDG implementation and ensure

smooth coordination and collaboration within the Government.7

Lao PDR was among the first countries to localize the SDGs and the Government has fully integrated Goals and Targets into its national planning framework. The 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) has SDGs embedded in three of its outcomes, each of which relates to one of the three dimensions of the 2030 Agenda: economic, social, and environmental. Nearly 60 percent of the 8th NSEDP indicators are linked to SDG indicators, showing the strong commitment of the Government in implementing the 2030 Agenda.8

1.3 UNESCO IN LAO PDRLao PDR joined UNESCO in July 1951, following which a National Commission for UNESCO was established in March 1968.

The UNESCO Bangkok Office, which was established in 1961 as a Regional Bureau for Education, today has plural roles and serves as Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, as UNESCO Cluster Office for Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Singapore, and works in close collaboration with national UNESCO Offices in Viet Nam and Cambodia.

In its capacity as a Regional Bureau for Education, the UNESCO Office in Bangkok provides technical expertise and assistance and serves advisory, knowledge production and sharing, monitoring and evaluation functions to assist Asia-Pacific Member States and

other UNESCO field and antenna offices in the area of education.

In addition, the UNESCO Office in Bangkok hosts the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) which strengthens the statistical capacities of Member States in producing quality data in all areas of UNESCO’s mandate.

Overview: Lao National Commission for UNESCO

» Established in March 1968 » Chairperson: H.E. Mrs Sengdeuane

Lachanthaboune (since June 2016) » Secretary-General: Mr Somboun Masouvanh

(since March 2012)

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UNESCO and Lao PDR

World Heritage Site Inscriptions

» Town of Luang Prabang (1995) » Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the

Champasak Cultural Landscape (2001) » Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang – Plain of Jars (2019)

Tentative List of World Heritage Sites

» That Luang de Vientiane (1992) » Hin Nam No National Protected Area (2016)

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity

» Khaen music of the Lao people (2017)

UNESCO Associated Schools Programme (ASPnet) schools

» 8 Primary Schools » 23 Secondary Schools » 2 Teacher Training Colleges

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves & UNESCO Global Geoparks » none

Inscriptions on the Memory of the World (MoW) Register » The Neo Lao Hak Xath Film Collection (2014)

UNESCO Conventions » 12 ratified and 28 non-ratified

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1.4 PARTNERSHIPSTo achieve tangible and sustainable results that improve people’s lives and that leave no one behind, UNESCO works closely with a diverse range of partners in all of its fields of competence. As an open, engaging, and outward-looking organization, UNESCO in Lao PDR brings together and works with public and non-public actors, including Governments, other UN agencies, National Commissions for UNESCO, international and bilateral development partners, research institutes, local and international NGOs, civil

society organizations, academia, the media, as well as directly with communities.

In pursuit of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNESCO leverages synergies by engaging with its wide range of stakeholders, diversifying its funding partners, forming private-public partnerships, supporting south-south cooperation, and promoting intersectoral working both within UNESCO and across the UN system.

Graphic 1: UNESCO and its diverse range of partners

Other UN Agencies

Donors

National Commissions for UNESCO

Civil Society Organizations

Government INGOs

Academia

Private Sector

Development Partners

Research Institutes and Bodies

UNESCO Bangkok

LAO NATIONA L COMMIS S ION FOR UN ES CO WELCOMIN G MR BENNO BOER, UNE S CO BA N GKOK FOCA L POIN T FOR LAO PDR

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1.5 UNESCO’S COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE IN LAO PDR

UNESCO has a distinct comparative advantage and is uniquely positioned to support the Government and all people living in Lao PDR at different levels and through different interventions. In collaboration with its stakeholders and partners, UNESCO provides integrated policy support, strengthens the public sector, contributes to capacity development at all levels of Government, mobilizes technical assistance, acts as a convening and coordinating entity, promotes regional and international cooperation, promotes knowledge transfer and regional South-South cooperation, as well as conducts advocacy and awareness-raising in areas of UNESCO’s mandate and fields of expertise.

Maintaining a reputation as a trusted, responsive, and flexible partner of the Government, development partners, academia, and civil society organizations in Lao PDR, UNESCO is uniquely positioned to support the Government and all people living in the country to improve their livelihoods and to foster social cohesion.

UNESCO cooperation modalities in Lao PDR:

� Integrated Policy Support

� Capacity Development

� Technical Assistance

� Multi-Stakeholder Convening

� Advocacy and Awareness-raising

� Regional and South-South Cooperation

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1.6 UNESCO AND THE UNITED NATIONS FAMILYAs a specialized non-resident United Nations (UN) agency to Lao PDR, UNESCO works in close partnership and coordination with other resident and non-resident UN agencies, funds, and programmes, as well as with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR.

Jointly pursuing national priorities enshrined in the 8th NSEDP 2016–2020 and the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, UNESCO and other UN agencies, funds, and programmes are working together under the framework of the Lao PDR – United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF) 2017–2021.

UNESCO is actively participating in and contributing to a number of UN inter-agency coordination and working groups, including the UN Country Team, three UN Results Groups, as well as the UN Communications Group.

MS SARA SEKKENES, UN RES IDEN T COORDIN ATOR TO LAO PDR AT UN COUN TRY TEA M RETREAT 2019

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1.7 UNESCO’S INTERSECTORAL APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT

While the focus of UNESCO's interventions in Lao PDR is based on expertise and resources in the field of Education and Culture, one of UNESCO’s key comparative advantages in Lao PDR is its ability to draw on intersectoral expertise from UNESCO’s five areas of mandate and programming (Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, Communication and Information) as well as from its global network of UNESCO centres and institutes, UNESCO Clubs, UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet) and UNESCO Chairs, to address challenges in a multi-disciplinary and intersectoral fashion.

Already today the majority of UNESCO’s programmes in Lao PDR benefit from UNESCO’s inter-disciplinary approach, leveraging expertise and resources from two or more areas of its mandate, such as in the field of Promoting Inclusive and Green Societies and Fostering Sustainable Tourism.

Promoting Inclusive and Green Societies: The large youth percentage of Lao PDR combined with the green growth principle to which the Government has committed, offers distinct opportunities but also challenges for the Government and the people living in Lao PDR. UNESCO leverages its intersectoral expertise in building inclusive and green societies and supports the Government in developing and strengthening Lao PDR’s human and social capital, advancing green growth, inclusive education policies, and mobilizing

science and science-based environmental education as drivers of sustainable development. To this end, UNESCO advances and mainstreams elements of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at different levels of education in order to foster attitudes and behaviors that are necessary for a culture of sustainability and inclusive green growth. Further, UNESCO promotes knowledge of environmental science and geoscience among students, fosters Global Citizenship Education (GCED), and enables Lao PDR’s participation in international science networks.

Fostering Sustainable Tourism: A second area in which UNESCO leverages its intersectoral approach to development in Lao PDR is sustainable tourism. Defining tourism as “tourism that respects local people, cultural heritage and the environment”, UNESCO, in partnership with the Government, fosters and promotes tourism in Lao PDR that is environmentally responsible and culturally sensitive. With a focus on heritage sites that are enlisted in the World Heritage List, UNESCO supports the Government in the development and implementation of heritage and tourism management plans, cultural policies, as well as culture guidelines that support the sustainable management of cultural and natural heritage sites in Lao PDR, while promoting livelihoods through sustainable tourism.

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Part 2: Situation AnalysisSummary Analysis of Lao PDR's Development Context

2.1 SUMMARY ANALYSIS OF LAO PDR’S DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT

9 World Bank, “Country Partnership Framework for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 2017–2021,” 2017.10 World Bank, “Lao PDR | Data.”11 World Bank, “Lao PDR: Systematic Country Diagnostic,” 2017.12 World Bank, “Lao PDR | Data.”13 European Union, “European Joint Programming for Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2016–2020,” 2016.

Lao PDR’s development has advanced greatly in the last two decade although significant challenges remain. The country is rapidly catching up to its regional neighbours, with rising incomes, declining poverty, and improved access to key public services. The Human Development Index (HDI) 2017 ranked Lao PDR 139 out of 189 countries, placing it in the "medium human development” category.9

Over the last two decades, Lao PDR has enjoyed peace and stability as well as sustained economic growth.10 At current levels of development, Lao PDR is projected to graduate from Least Developed Country status in 2024.

However, despite sustained economic growth, Lao PDR is still one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, and reducing poverty continues to remain a high priority of Government and development partners.

Until today, the country’s growth is to a large extent driven by natural resources exploitation with limited job creation and wealth distribution. In addition, revenue leakages and weak public financial management (PFM) continue to prevent the sharing of economic benefits.11 As a consequence, Lao PDR’s poverty reduction was slower compared to its peers in the region and a large part of Lao PDR’s population remains at risk of falling back into poverty.

Population

Lao PDR’s population stood at 7.06 million in 2018 and is growing at 1.55% per annum (2018). The average fertility rate is 2.71 births per woman (2017), which is one of the highest in the region and poses health risks as well as reduces educational and employment opportunities for women.12 Two-thirds of the population of the largely agrarian economy are living in rural areas, but the country is urbanizing rapidly. The urban population has increased by 40 percent over the last 10 years.

Today, more than half of the population of Lao PDR is under the age of 23. The seismic demographic shift that Lao PDR is currently experiencing as the younger population becomes economically productive, provides an opportunity for a ‘demographic dividend’ which can potentially deliver the catalytic economic growth required for Lao PDR to graduate from LDC status in 2024.13

The Government of Lao PDR has a well-established national integrated policy planning architecture in place. The 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) for 2016–2020 provides comprehensive policies that put Lao PDR on a path to reduce poverty and to promote shared prosperity in a sustainable manner. The NSEDP is based on green growth principles and has the primary goal to accelerate economic and social development to graduate the country from LDC status.

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Socio-economic indicators of Lao PDR14

Total population: 7,061,507 (2018)

Population growth (annual %): 1.548 (2018)

Fertility rate, total (births per woman): 2.709 (2017)

Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births): 37.6 (2018)

Life expectancy at birth (years): 67.277 (2017)

Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day (2011 PPP) (% of population): 22.7 (2012)

GNI per capita – Atlas method (current US$): 2,460 (2018)

GDP growth (annual %): 6.501 (2018)

Literacy among population aged 15 years and older (% of population): 84.661 (2018)

Internet penetration (% of population)15: 39 (2019)

14 World Bank, “Lao PDR | Data,” The World Bank, 2019, https://data.worldbank.org/country/lao-pdr.15 Simon Kemp, “Digital 2019: Global Digital Overview – DataReportal – Global Digital Insights,” Datareportal.com, 2019, https://

datareportal.com/reports/digital-2019-global-digital-overview.16 UN, “Human Development Indices and Indicators. 2018 Statistical Update.”17 UNICEF Lao People’s Democratic Republic, “Gender Equality,” accessed October 23, 2019, https://www.unicef.org/laos/gender.18 The World Bank, “Lao PDR Economic Monitor (January 2019),” 2019.19 World Bank, “Lao PDR | Data.”

Gender

Women face severe marginalization in Lao PDR, with substantial implications for poverty alleviation. Promoting equal participation of women and men in decision-making and empowering women to become equal actors in all spheres of society is a key driver for development and a priority for the Government of Lao PDR. However, while gender relations in the Lao PDR have been improved over the last three decades including due to rapid economic growth and social change, rights and opportunities of women remain limited. Lao PDR’s Gender Inequality Index (GII) stood at 0.934 in 2017, ranking the country at 109 out of 188 countries.16

While great progress has been made towards girls’ school attendance and gender parity in education, deeply rooted gender inequalities continue to keep girls and boys from having equal opportunities in their lives.17 The majority of those who have never been to school are girls.18 Girls, at times, face pressures to marry early or to help with household duties, especially in families living in poverty. The female youth literacy rate (youth aged 15–24 years) is 4 percentage points lower than the male youth literacy rate, standing at 90.50% and 94.40% respectively.19

2.2 EDUCATION CONTEXTThe Government of Lao PDR places improving access to and the quality of education as important key drivers towards national socio-economic development and poverty reduction. Aligned with the 8th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2016-2020 and the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development and SDGs, the Government’s Education and Sports Sector Development Plan (ESDP) 2016-2020 serves as the overarching framework for education sector policies and guidelines, as well as for support from development partners.

https://data.worldbank.org/country/lao-pdr

https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2019-global-digital-overview

https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2019-global-digital-overview

https://www.unicef.org/laos/gender

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20 World Bank, “Lao PDR | Data.”

Education Data: Enrollment Rates29 Total (%) Female (%) Male (%)

Pre-primary education (% gross), 2018 46.68 47.30 46.09

Primary education (% net), 2018 91.47 90.65 92.26

Secondary education (% net), 2018 60.01 59.36 60.65

Tertiary education (% gross), 2018 14.97 15.52 14.43

Out-of-school children (% of primary school age), 2018 8.51 9.33 7.72

Out-of-school adolescents (% of lower secondary school age), 2018 25.02 25.52 24.53

Youth literacy rate (% of people ages 15–24), 2015 92.46 90.50 94.40

Adult literacy rate (% of people ages 15 and above), 2015 84.66 79.39 89.96

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Lao PDR has made great strides in improving access to basic education for both boys and girls. The number of students that are able to access and finish basic education has continued to grow over the past decades, but the quality of education remains an issue.

Social demand for early childhood care and education (ECCE) continues to grow but the Government’s capacity to expand the coverage is limited.21 At the pre-primary level, in 2018, 46.46% of children had been enrolled in early childhood education, up from 17.9% in 2009. Generally, pre-primary attendance rates are higher in urban areas (56.8%) than in rural areas (22.7%) and are the highest among families of the richest quintiles (69%).22 The lowest ECCE enrollment rates are among families from the poorest quintiles (12.6%).23

Primary net enrollment rates have remained relatively stable over the past 10 years and reached 91.47% in 2018. High repetition and dropout rates with only 81.1% of students remaining enrolled until grade 5 remain an issue that requires urgent attention.24 Among the reasons for the high dropout rates are children’s lack of school readiness, as well as incomplete school facilities, limited capacity of teachers, irregular teacher attendance, poor quality of teaching and learning, direct and opportunity costs of schooling for families, and insufficient funding for investments in education quality.25

Secondary net enrollment rates have increased from 38.11% in 2009 to 60.01% in 2018, with similar enrollment rates for male and female students. While this is a significant improvement, until today, around 40 % of children aged 11–17 years are either no longer attending basic school, not finishing basic school, or are behind in school. Recent findings also show that 14% of girls aged 15–17 had an early marriage or pregnancy,

21 UNICEF, “Strategy Note for the Country Programme of Cooperation between the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and United Nations Children’s Fund, 2017-2021,” 2017, 2017–21.

22 Lao Statistics Bureau. 2018. Lao Social Indicator Survey II 2017, Survey Findings Report. Vientiane, Lao PDR: Lao Statistics Bureau and UNICEF.

23 European Union, “European Joint Programming for Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2016–2020 Mid-Term Report,” 2018.24 Open Development Laos, “Social Development,” accessed October 6, 2019, https://laos.opendevelopmentmekong.net/topics/

social-development/.25 UNDP, “Goal 4: Quality Education | UNDP in Lao PDR,” accessed October 6, 2019, https://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/

home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-4-quality-education.html.26 UNICEF, “SDGs and Children - Measuring Progress on Child Wellbeing in Lao PDR,” 2018.27 World Bank, “Lao PDR | Data.”28 The World Bank, “Lao PDR Economic Monitor (January 2019).”29 Ministry of Education and Sports, “Education and Sports Sector Development Plan (2016–2020)” (Vientiane, 2015).

and, as a result, the vast majority of them are deprived of education.26

Tertiary level education enrollment is following an adverse enrollment trend. Following a peak tertiary education gross enrollment of 18.1% in 2013, in 2018 gross enrollment declined to 14.97%.27

Although basic education in Lao PDR is free, ancillary and opportunity costs of education, including school uniforms, food, and transportation, as well as the need for children to work and support their families, keep children from poor families out of school.28 While enrollment numbers in Non-Formal Education (NFE) equivalency primary programmes have increased over past years, the number of out-of-school children has also increased and reached 35,170 female and 30,200 male students in 2018.29

With a focus on fairness and transparency in qualifications recognition, Lao PDR ratified the “Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas, and Degrees in Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific” in 2003.

https://laos.opendevelopmentmekong.net/topics/social-development/

https://laos.opendevelopmentmekong.net/topics/social-development/

https://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-4-quality-education.html

https://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-4-quality-education.html

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2.3 NATURAL, SOCIAL, AND HUMAN SCIENCES CONTEXT

30 European Union, “European Joint Programming for Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2016–2020.”31 World Bank, “Lao PDR: Systematic Country Diagnostic.”32 World Bank, “Country Partnership Framework for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 2017–2021.”

Natural Heritage and Biodiversity: Lao PDR has abundant natural heritage and biodiversity which to this day remains a source of prosperity and livelihood for rural communities. However, the country faces important challenges in environmental sustainability and protection, including biodiversity loss, forest decline, and land degradation. Until recently, growth has largely been dependent on natural resources which has placed increasing pressure on the environment.

Recognizing the limitations of Lao PDR’s current growth model, the Government has started implementing reforms to support a greener and more inclusive growth. With the 8th NSEDP (2016–2020), the Government has reaffirmed its commitment to induce economic and structural transformations from a primarily agriculture and natural resource exploitation-based economy to a more diversified economy that is increasingly reliant on industrial development, manufacturing, and services.30

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) implements its 10-Year Natural Resources and Environment Strategy 2016–2025 (NRES 2025), as well as its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2016–2025, all of which are aligned with the 8th NSEDP as well as the Agenda 2030 and SDGs. MoNRE’s

vision towards 2030 is to “Making Lao PDR Green, Clean and Beautiful, based on Green Economic Growth, to ensure Sustainable Resilient Development and Climate Change”.

Until today 70% of the population in Lao PDR depend on forests and waterways for their livelihoods. The Government’s green growth agenda aims at improving local livelihoods by diversifying income sources and involving the private sector to spur market development. Over past decades, large-scale conversions of Lao PDR’s forests into plantations and infrastructure development sites, including logging along and outside the borders of designated concession areas, have led to a rapid loss and depletion of natural resources. National forest cover has fallen from 70% in 1940 to around 40% in 2010.31 As a result, over the last decade, Lao PDR has transformed from a carbon sink to a net carbon emitter. Further, demand from nearby countries for Lao PDR’s valued natural resources such as wildlife, timber, and non-timber forest products is high, presenting vulnerability to illegal trade.32

Lao PDR’s deforestation rates, biodiversity loss, degradation of land, depletion of soil, and pollution of water resources are raising concerns and it is expected

16


that today’s resource depletion will cause costs and compromise future economic growth of the country. Strong political commitment will be required to overcome governance challenges.33

Until today, Lao PDR has no UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and no Global Geoparks despite the value that can result from an inscription for areas and communities under protection, particularly in view of nature conservation, green growth development, and for the development of environmentally friendly and culturally responsible tourism.

Lao PDR is highly susceptible to the effects of climate change. Predicted climate trends are leading to longer dry seasons coupled with more intense rainfall in the Greater Mekong region which are likely to push people to migrate from rural areas. Droughts with increasing intensity and frequency have been observed.34

Social and Human Sciences: About half of the population of Lao PDR is aged 10 to 35 years and thus falls under Lao’s official range for “youth”. Around two thirds of youth remain in rural areas, with around 12% in remote areas (including indigenous youth).35

33 European Union, “European Joint Programming for Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2016–2020.”34 UN-Habitat UNESCO, UNDP, IOM, “Overview of Internal Migration in Lao PDR,” 2018.35 Lao Statistics Bureau, “ The 4th Population and Housing Census (PHC) 2015 ,” 2015.36 UNESCO, “Overview of Internal Migration in Lao PDR,” 2018

Lao’s first ever National Youth Policy was developed in 2018 to address five key challenges for the nation’s young people: education, health, social protection, employment and youth participation.

Migration is a defining megatrend in the entire Mekong region and people living in Lao PDR and in the wider region move to places where they see better opportunities for themselves and their families. The primary destination for rural-urban migrants, especially those from the Vientiane province and the north of the country, is the capital city Vientiane. About one in four residents of Vientiane was not born in the city and migrated at some point in their life.36

Migration brings with it the potential for vast economic growth and sustainable development, and in Lao PDR, cities are often perceived as places where life changes can be altered through access to employment and services that are unavailable in rural areas.

Lao PDR is also one of Southeast Asia’s most ethnically diverse countries. The constitution reflects the country's multi-ethnic context and defines the country as a multi-ethnic state with equality among all ethnic groups. While independent estimates put the number of ethnic groups at more than 200, the Government

MEGALITHIC JAR S ITES IN X IEN GKHUA N G – PLA IN OF JA RSXIENGKHUANG

17


officially recognizes 49 ethnic groups of four main ethnolinguistic groups.37,38

Ethnic rural and remote populations, which make up approximately 45 percent of the population of Lao PDR,39 often live in areas with limited social services and infrastructure and face higher rates of poverty.40 Many ethnic groups practice subsistence-oriented agricultural activities and rely on the natural environment for survival and livelihood, and, as a result, are more vulnerable to natural hazards.41

37 Philip Alston, “Statement by Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights on His Visit to Lao PDR, 18–28 March 2019” (Vientiane, 2019), https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004.

38 Minority Rights Group International, “Laos – Minority Rights Group,” accessed October 6, 2019, https://minorityrights.org/country/laos/.

39 Ian G. Baird, “Translocal Assemblages and the Circulation of the Concept of ‘Indigenous Peoples’ in Laos,” Political Geography 46 (May 1, 2015): 54–64, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2014.12.001.

40 World Bank, “Lao Poverty Policy Brief: Why Are Ethnic Minorities Poor?,” accessed October 6, 2019, https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/lao/publication/lao-poverty-policy-brief-why-are-ethnic-minorities-poor.

41 UNESCO, “Overview of Internal Migration in Lao PDR,” 2018.42 Ibid.

The Non-Lao-Tai rural and remote populations remain disadvantaged among rural populations, due to factors such as social exclusion, village resettlement, gender disparities, and lack of access to education. Non-Lao-Tai populations are twice as likely as Lao-Tai populations to live in poverty.42

Strengthening its commitment to eliminating doping from sport and to apply the force of international law to anti-doping, the Government of Lao PDR accessed the International Convention against Doping in Sport in 2017.

2.4 CULTURAL CONTEXTThe preservation of cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and handicrafts are key to the safeguarding of Lao PDR’s unique history and heritage and to promote the development of tourism in the country. Recent investments in cultural heritage in Lao PDR have proven to be effective at promoting sustainable growth and protecting natural resources. The 8th NSEDP (2016–2020) expresses the Government’s commitment to protect its traditions and culture, to preserve its diversity, and to enhance its historical, valuable heritage and unique cultures.

Lao PDR is a signatory to the UNESCO 1970 Convention on Combating Illicit Traffic in Cultural Property, the 1972 Convention on World Heritage, the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as the 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Lao PDR’s Vision 2030 refers to the protection, preservation, rehabilitation, and enrichment of the country’s tradition and national cultural heritage value towards sustainable development as a key objective. The National Law on National Heritage was

promulgated in 2005 and determines the principles, regulations, and measures for the administration, use, protection, conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of Lao PDR’s national heritage. The Law also determines the rights and duties of the State, social organizations and individuals in “preserving the value of the national cultural, historical and natural heritage, with

World Heritage Sites in Lao PDR

y Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang - Plain of Jars (2019)

y Town of Luang Prabang (1995) y Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements

within the Champasak Cultural Landscape (2001)

Tentative List of World Heritage of Lao PDR

y That Luang de Vientiane (1992) y Hin Nam No National Protected Area (2016)

Lao PDR’s inscriptions on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

y Khaen, music of the Lao people (2017)

https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004

https://minorityrights.org/country/laos/

https://minorityrights.org/country/laos/

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2014.12.001

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/lao/publication/lao-poverty-policy-brief-why-are-ethnic-minorit

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/lao/publication/lao-poverty-policy-brief-why-are-ethnic-minorit

18


the aim of educating citizens with a conscious love for their nation and fine national traditions that is deeply embedded in their hearts and of assuring the elements for prosper sustainability of the nation.”43

The Government of Lao PDR has successfully inscribed three (3) cultural heritage sites on the World Heritage List. In addition, two (2) heritage sites have been listed on the Tentative List of World Heritage. One (1) element has successfully been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Lao PDR’s natural and cultural heritage tourism sector provides livelihoods and employment opportunities to hundreds of thousands of Lao PDR citizens, contributing between 4 and 5% of the country’s GDP. UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, Luang Prabang, Vat Phou, and the Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang (Plain of Jars) attract over 4 million visitors every year, up from a few hundred visitors in the early 1990s, and increase the overall tourism attractiveness of the country.44

The possible nomination of the Hin Nam No National Biodiversity Conservation Area in the Khammouane province as a transboundary Natural World Heritage site for its significant archaeological, historical and

43 Lao’s People Democratic Republic, “Decree of the President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on the Promulgation of the Law on National Heritage,” 2005.

44 European Union, “European Joint Programming for Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2016–2020 Mid-Term Report.”45 Ibid.46 European Joint Programming for Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2016–2020 Mid-Term Report September 201847 Simon Kemp, “Digital 2019: Global Digital Overview – DataReportal – Global Digital Insights.”

natural value, would support the sustainable protection and management of the site, as well as increase the number of national and international visitors to the site and region.45

Lao PDR has young, dynamic and promising talents that are driving the country’s cultural industries. The national Vision 2030 recognizes the potential and aims to develop modern cultural industries that contribute to socio-economical sustainability. While Lao PDR’s cultural industries are still relatively small, the current growth and dynamism of the cultural sector are promising a blossoming future for Lao PDR’s cultural industries, particularly in the fields of handicraft, arts, and music production.46

Already today, Lao PDR’s entertainment and cultural sectors are providing more jobs than ever before. Emerging film and dance companies have seen a growth in popularity with citizens investing resources into creative industries, arts, and cultural disciplines. To tap into the full cultural potential of the country, cultural providers require further technical training in fields such as archaeology, music, crafts, architecture, organizational management, marketing, and entrepreneurial skills.47

Overview: Lao PDR's Ratification of UNESCO's Cultural Conventions

Date Convention Status

20 March 1987 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Paris, 16 November 1972

Ratification

5 November 2007 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, 20 October 2005

Accession

26 November 2009 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Paris, 17 October 2003.

Ratification

22 December 2015Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. Paris, 14 November 1970

Acceptance

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2.5 COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION CONTEXT

48 Global Digital Report 2019, Hootsuite and WeAreSocial

Mass media has grown in Lao PDR, which has led to an increased number of newspapers, magazines, radio, television and new forms of media, mostly owned and controlled by the Government. At present, there are 13 daily newspapers, 113 magazines, of which 49 are funded by the private sector.

Further, 76 radio stations, including 11 national, 55 provincial and 10 community radio stations in 5 provinces are broadcasting radio, and 42 television stations, including 6 channels at central level are broadcasting TV.

The mobile phone and Internet penetration in Lao PDR has steadily increased over the past decade and reached 81% and 39% respectively in 2019 according to official figures. Today, 39% of Lao PDR's citizens are active social media users.48

Over recent years, a growing amount of disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech has been spread through social networks and social messaging applications requiring the Lao society to become more informed about issues of disinformation, misinformation and hate speech including through media and information literacy programmes.

Lao PDR possesses distinct cultural and literary traditions which have led to the development of abundant manuscripts written in a variety of scripts. The Department of Cinema under the Lao Government possesses over 1,200 newsreels and documentary films dated from the mid-20th century. A rich collection of photographs is kept in several monasteries across the country.

However, some of the rich collections of documentary heritage remain unknown to the public due to a lack of visibility and accessibility.

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Part 3: Cooperation Framework and Partnerships

3.1 UNESCO’S STRATEGIC ROLE IN LAO PDRFocusing on the populations most in need, UNESCO’s interventions in Lao PDR support the Government of and people living in Lao PDR. In response to identified development priorities and needs, in partnership with the Government, as well as in alignment with the 8th NESDP 2016–2020, the Lao PDR Vision 2030, and the UN Partnership Framework 2017–2021, UNESCO focuses on five priority intervention areas in Lao PDR:

Area 1: System strengthening for quality inclusive education that fosters peace, eradicates poverty, equips learners with 21st century skills, and drives sustainable development

Area 2: Advancing and harnessing science and technology for sustainable human living, sustainable development, climate change action, and promoting knowledge, capacities, and scientific research

Area 3: Supporting mutual understanding and working together to building inclusive societies and lasting peace

Area 4: Building capacities and promoting Lao PDR’s diverse tangible and intangible cultural heritage and its creative industries as drivers for sustainable development and social cohesion

Area 5: Strengthening the preservation of and access to documentary heritage in Lao PDR

Selected priority areas do not represent the totality of the Organization’s interventions and long-term vision in Lao PDR but are focus areas of programmatic concentration responding to expressed Government needs vis-à-vis UNESCO’s capacity and comparative advantage in Lao PDR.

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3.2 UNESCO PROGRAMMING PRINCIPLES IN LAO PDR

Interventions in Lao PDR reflect UNESCO’s overarching programming principles:

Equity and Inclusion: In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its pledge to leave no one behind, UNESCO is committed to fostering a socially inclusive world in which the needs of the most vulnerable are met. Recognizing that poverty, inequalities, and exclusion are among the greatest challenges that need to be addressed to achieve inclusive and sustainable development, UNESCO in Lao PDR, through its programming, works towards creating an enabling environment in which all people benefit from its development.

Human Rights-based Approach to Programming: UNESCO recognizes that promoting and protecting human rights is crucial for achieving peace, sustainable human development, democracy and peace, and that these human aspirations and common goals are inextricably linked and interdependent. With the intention to empower people themselves – especially the most marginalized – to participate in policy formulation and to hold accountable those who have a duty to act, UNESCO mainstreams human rights and integrates a human rights-based approach (HRBA) in all its programming, anchoring plans, programmes and processes in a system of rights and corresponding obligations established by international law.

Gender: Holding the belief that all forms of discrimination based on gender are a violation of human rights as well

as a significant barrier to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNESCO in Lao PDR attaches a high priority to gender equality and builds on a two-pronged approach of gender mainstreaming and gender-specific programming. UNESCO interventions in Lao PDR are committed to tackling gender disparities and ensuring that women and men enjoy equal opportunities, choices, capacities, power, and knowledge as equal citizens.

UNESCO interventions in Lao PDR further reflect the United Nation’s core programming principles, which are central to all development stages:

� Leaving no one behind, addressing multi-dimensional causes of poverty, inequalities and discrimination, and reducing vulnerabilities of the most marginalized;

� Human rights, addressing inequalities and discrimination, including gender equality;

� Sustainable Development and Resilience, promoting sustainable development, fighting climate change, increasing resilience;

� Accountability, underpinned by strengthened national capacities, robust data, and results-based management.

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3.3 COOPERATION FRAMEWORK AND PARTNERSHIPS3.3.1 EDUCATION: System strengthening for quality inclusive education that fosters peace, eradicates poverty, equips learners with 21st century skills, and drives sustainable developmentUNESCO, as a specialized UN agency has a sector-wide mandate covering all aspects of education. In response to Lao PDR’s educational development context and trends, as well as following the request from the Government of Lao PDR, UNESCO assists the Government and the people living in Lao PDR through targeted interventions in three education-specific pillars of intervention:

� Pillar 1: Education Sector Strengthening and Enhancing Quality and Relevance of Education through Improved Teacher Education

� Pillar 2: Promoting Equitable Access to and Quality of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

� Pillar 3: Supporting Out-of-School Children and Eradicating Illiteracy across All Ethnic Groups by Promoting Lifelong Learning

Pillar 1: Education Sector Strengthening and Enhancing Quality and Relevance of Education through Improved Teacher Education

The Government of Lao PDR has embarked on a journey of comprehensive education sector reform. UNESCO supports the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) in its reform efforts as well as in the implementation of the Lao PDR Education and Sports Sector Development Plan (ESDP/ESSDP) 2016–2020 and the forthcoming ESSDP 2021–2025.

UNESCO is a member of the Education Sector Working Group and provides coherent institutional support to the MoES, strengthening Lao PDR’s education sector and systems at all levels. Striving for enhanced Government capacity in providing inclusive quality education in Lao PDR that responds to the country’s growing education demands and needs, including those in remote areas, UNESCO, with financial support from UNESCO’s multi-donor Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Programme, supports the updating of teacher education policies and curricula, the enhancing of quality of teaching through teacher training, as well as the revision of learning materials.

At the policy level, UNESCO provides technical advice for the development of Lao PDR’s first comprehensive national teacher policy. The policy will provide important directions in areas of teacher education planning, management, training, monitoring, and supervision, as well as enhance the quality of and working conditions for the teaching force at all levels.

Reinforcing Lao PDR’s Education and Sports Management Information System (LESMIS) for in-service teacher training, following a request from the Department of Teacher Education (DTE), UNESCO supports the enhancement of the Lao PDR Teacher Education Management Information System (TEMIS), in particular the database on pre-service teacher education to allow for better projections and forecasting of teacher requirements.

In addition, UNESCO develops the capacity of Provincial Teacher Development Centres (PTDC) in strategic planning, project management, training, and facilitation skills to enable PTDC staff to effectively conduct relevant in-service training of teachers.

Collaborating with schools of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet), UNESCO supports lower

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P RE-S ERVICE TEACHER TRA IN IN G CLAS S AT DONGKHA MXA N G TEACHER TRA IN IN G COLLEGE

BAN DONGKHAMXANG

secondary school teachers through capacity building in aligning the three key education components (curricula, pedagogy, and assessment) to prepare learners as active change agents for making the world a more just, inclusive and sustainable place.

Further, to support Lao PDR in responding to the need for more female participation and achievements in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), UNESCO enhances the capacity of lower secondary school teachers through nationwide in-service teacher training in applying gender-responsive pedagogies in STEM education in their classrooms. Scaling up to pre-service teacher education, UNESCO equips teacher educators in all teacher training colleges in Lao PDR with the knowledge and skills that are necessary to make teaching and learning processes gender-sensitive, as well as prepares prospect teachers to ensure that their teaching and learning processes pay attention to the specific learning needs of boys and girls in STEM-related subjects.

Pillar 2: Promoting Equitable Access to and Quality of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is the foundation of lifelong learning and the Government of Lao PDR is committed to ensuring that all students are “able to enroll in community-based readiness programmes for early childhood education and can thus develop the necessary skills and knowledge to

49 Ministry of Education and Sports, “Lao People Democratic Republic Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity Education and Sports Sector Development Plan (2016–2020),” 2015.

contribute to national socio-economic development, and benefit from development.” 49

Enhancing the educational architecture of early childhood care and education training in teacher training colleges in Lao PDR, UNESCO supports the MoES in revising the 4-year curriculum for the Bachelor of Education programme in Early Childhood Education (B.Ed. in ECE), as well as in training teacher educators on content, implementation of the updated curriculum, and the development of lesson plans.

UNESCO provides technical assistance and policy advice, convenes stakeholders, and builds capacities in support of the Government’s efforts to expanding and improving early childhood care and education throughout the country, particularly for those from vulnerable and poor communities.

To support the financing of early childhood care and education services, UNESCO joins forces with the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies of Kobe University and MoES and jointly explores innovative partnership and financing mechanisms for early childhood care and education in Lao PDR.

Pillar 3: Supporting Out-of-school Children and Eradicating Illiteracy across All Ethnic Groups by Promoting Lifelong Learning

UNESCO engages with and supports the Government of Lao PDR in implementing its commitment to provide

25


equitable inclusive educational opportunities for all children living in Lao PDR regardless of their ethnic background or nationality.

UNESCO strengthens the education system and removes obstacles for out-of-school children to access educational opportunities. Following up on the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Education Systems for Out-of-School Children and Youth (OOSCY), which was endorsed by the Government of Lao PDR at the 2016 ASEAN Summit, UNESCO supports the Government in the implementation of its Decree on Lifelong Learning.

Specifically, UNESCO, in partnership with the MoES, assists children who can’t attend formal education or have dropped out of school, to gain an education with equivalent qualifications to formal education. Supported by the Educate a Child (EAC) initiative, UNESCO supports the Department of Non-Formal Education (DNFE) and the Department of General Education (DGE) in its efforts implementing the Non-Formal Primary Education Programme as well as the Lower Secondary Education Equivalency Programme.

Together, both programmes provide flexible learning opportunities and alternative learning strategies to more than 60,000 youth and adults, who are not enrolled in formal education, across the country every year.

In addition, with funding support from EAC, UNESCO, in partnership with DNFE and DGE, supports out-of-school children by equipping non-formal schools in the 15 provinces with the lowest education enrollment with learning materials as well as by training teachers and educators for more than 5,000 unreached children, many of which are out of school.

At the policy level, UNESCO supports the work of the DNFE through capacity building, the provision of learning materials, training, study visits and by promoting the participation of DNFE staff at regional and international capacity development events. Further, UNESCO supports the advancement of statistical data on non-formal education, including through the inclusion of NFE-related numbers in the annual LESMIS data survey.

Table: Summary of Education interventions

Strategic Intervention Pillar Related SDGs

Related Government Frameworks

Implementation Partners


SDG 4

Teacher Education Sub-sector Plan

within ESSDP 2016–2020 & Draft ESSDP 2021–2025

Department of Teacher Education (DTE) and Teacher

Training Colleges (TTC), MoES


SDG 4

Early Childhood Education (ECE) Sub-sector Plan

within the ESSDP 2016–2020 & Draft ESSDP 2021–2025,

Law on the Protection of the Rights and

Interests of Children

Department of Teacher Education (DTE) and

Teacher Training Colleges (TTC), MoES, Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies -

Kobe University (GSICS)

Pillar 3: Supporting Out-of-school Children and Eradicating Illiteracy across All Ethnic Groups by Promoting Lifelong Learning

SDG 4

Vientiane Declaration related Out of School Children and Youth,

Ministry of Education and Sports on

Policies and Strategy to Support all Out of School Children and Adolescents

Department of Non-Formal Education (DNFE)

and the Department of General Education

(DGE), MoES, Educate A Child (EAC) initiative

26


27


3.3.2 NATURAL SCIENCE: Advancing and harnessing science and technology for sustainable human living, sustainable development, climate change action, and promoting knowledge, capacities, and scientific researchThrough its different lines of work in the field of natural sciences, UNESCO promotes environmental sustainability and builds capacities in science, technology, and innovation in Lao PDR through three pillars of intervention:

� Pillar 1: Promoting Solutions for Plastic Waste Management in Lao PDR through Innovation and Education

� Pillar 2: Advancing Education for Sustainable Development through the UNESCO Green Academies Initiative

� Pillar 3: Promoting Knowledge and Capacities for the Sustainable Management of Lao PDR's Natural Resources

Pillar 1: Promoting Solutions for Plastic Waste Management in Lao PDR through Innovation and Education

Promoting sustainable solutions to fight plastic waste in Lao PDR, UNESCO engages with and mobilizes stakeholders through the Lao National Commission for UNESCO to raise awareness and to participate in UNESCO’s 'The Plastic Initiative’ (www.theplasticinitiative.org).

Specifically, UNESCO supports activities and advocates among stakeholders to test and to implement innovative approaches to reuse, reduce, and/or recycle plastic waste in schools and elsewhere in Lao PDR through The Plastic Initiative.

Pillar 2: Advancing Education for Sustainable Development through the UNESCO Green Academies Initiative

Based on the four pillars of sustainable development: Water Security, Waste Management, Clean Energy, and Biomass Production, together with local partners, UNESCO is preparing to implement the Global UNESCO Green Academies Programmes in Lao PDR.

The Green Academies Programme promotes practical and replicable environmental sustainability in schools, colleges, and universities through hands-on youth education following a learning-by-doing approach.

While reducing the environmental footprint of school buildings that are retrofitted into sustainable “green” buildings, students learn different approaches and best practices of environmental sustainability. The Programme builds upon the foundation of youth engagement and encourages students to actively participate in and become a part of a more sustainable way of living. UNESCO discusses the establishment of a first pilot Green Academy in Vientiane.

Pillar 3: Promoting Knowledge and Capacities for the Sustainable Management of Lao PDR’s Natural Resources

UNESCO is ready to support the Government of Lao PDR, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MoAF), in the sustainable and effective management, conservation, and sustainable management of Lao PDR’s protected areas in order to enhance livelihoods of local communities, to promote Lao PDR’s green economy, and to support environmentally friendly and culturally sensitive tourism while ensuring environmental sustainability.

UNESCO advocates for the establishment of the first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Lao PDR, aiming to raise awareness, to build capacities, and to provide technical advice for the sustainable and efficient management of Lao PDR's natural resources through the nomination

http://www.theplasticinitiative.org

http://www.theplasticinitiative.org

28


of a protected area under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) or the UNESCO Global Geoparks Programme.

UNESCO encourages the nomination and/or inscription of Lao PDR’s nature protected areas to one of the

before-mentioned programmes as a means to not only provide national and international recognition, but as an effective way to raise awareness among local people, citizens, and Government authorities on environmental and developmental issues, as well as to help attract financial support from different sources.

Table: Summary of Natural Sciences interventions

Strategic Interventions Related SDGs Implementation Partners


SDG 4, 6, 11, 12, 13, 15 Lao National Commission for UNESCO


SDG 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Lao National Commission for UNESCO


SDG 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), Ministry of

Agriculture and Forestry (MoAF)

RECYCLIN G AT UN ES CO AS PN ET S CHOOLVIENTIANE

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3.3.3 SOCIAL AND HUMAN SCIENCES: Supporting mutual understanding and working together to building inclusive societies and lasting peaceIn the field of social and human sciences, UNESCO supports the Government of and the people living in Lao PDR in the bridging of research and policy-making to enhance sustainable, peaceful, and gender-equitable social transformations, as well as in youth-led civic engagement and participation, empowering youth as active citizens and agents of change.

� Pillar 1: Migration and Inclusive Societies

� Pillar 2: Youth Empowerment & Advocacy

Pillar 1: Migration and Inclusive Societies

Lao PDR, similar to its neighbouring countries, is a country with both seasonal and long-term migration. Migrant workers play a key role in the economy and thus yield great potential for the sustainable development of the country.

UNESCO, as part of a Southeast Asia initiative on internal migration, supports the Government of Lao PDR in conducting policy research, in piloting migration-related policies, as well as gathers best practices on policy frameworks that facilitate migration inflows and outflows at city and national level to the benefit of migrants, their families, and communities at both origin and destination.

Promoting the positive transformational potential of internal migration in Lao PDR, UNESCO looks at aspects of housing, education, and employment in Lao PDR and supports various stakeholders in evidence-based and consultative policy-making processes that engage stakeholders in developing policy frameworks that are human rights-based, inclusive, and well-targeted. By sharing good practices and networking with other cities through the Asia Pacific Coalition of Cities Against Discrimination, UNESCO promotes migrant inclusive city policies.

Pillar 2: Youth Empowerment & Advocacy

Considering youth as agents of change, social transformation, peace, and sustainable development, UNESCO advocates for and empowers youth in Lao PDR. Supporting the engagement of young women and men to address issues in their communities as well as to contribute to policy-making and in the development of Government programmes that affect them, UNESCO enables youth from diverse backgrounds to speak with their own identity and voice.

With a particular focus on indigenous youth, through the Asia Indigenous Youth Platform, which was launched in 2019 in partnership with the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, UNESCO enables young people from indigenous communities to come together, to access capacity building needed to strengthen their skills, and supports their action to address issues on their own terms and in ways that works for their community, including in areas such as loss of culture, unemployment, and access to education.

PA RT IC IPA NT S AT U NESCO T RAINING ON QUA LITAT IVE R ESEA R CH A NALYSIS

A ND YOU T H POL ICY V IS IONING

30


INDIGENOUS YOUTH FROM AS IA-PACIFIC REGION CELEBRATIN G LAUNCH OF THE AS IA IN DIGEN OUS YOUTH PLATFORM

Table: Summary of Social and Human Sciences interventions

Strategic Intervention Pillar Related SDGs Implementation Partners

Pillar 1: Internal Migration and Inclusive Societies SDG 4, 5, 8, 11, 16

Pillar 2: Youth Empowerment & Advocacy SDG 4, 5, 8, 11, 16 Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact

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3.3.4 CULTURE: Building capacities and promoting Lao PDR’s diverse tangible and intangible cultural heritage and its creative industries as drivers for sustainable development and social cohesionUnder the framework of Lao PDR's National Policy for Culture, UNESCO focuses its interventions on strengthening national authorities and communities in their ability to safeguard and promote Lao PDR’s national tangible and intangible, natural and cultural heritage, and its creative industries. UNESCO's interventions are undertaken in the context of the 1970, the 1972, the 2003 and the 2005 Convention, which Lao PDR is a signatory Member State of. UNESCO supports the implementation through four pillars of intervention:

� Pillar 1: Building Capacities for the Protection and Sustainable Management of Lao PDR’s Tangible Heritage

� Pillar 2: Safeguarding the Living Heritage of Lao PDR

� Pillar 3: Supporting and Promoting Lao PDR’s Creative Sector and the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

� Pillar 4: Prevention of Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Goods

Pillar 1: Building Capacities for the Protection and Sustainable Management of Lao PDR’s Tangible Heritage

Guided by UNESCO’s 1972 Convention, UNESCO supports the Government in the protection, conservation, safeguarding, sustainable management, and promotion of Lao PDR’s tangible cultural and natural heritage.

UNESCO builds institutional capacity and provides technical assistance to the Department of Heritage of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MoICT) on the implementation of the 1972 Convention, including for the development of heritage and tourism management plans, cultural policies, as well as culture guidelines for the protection and sustainable management of Lao PDR’s cultural and natural heritage sites.

Further, with a focus on heritage sites inscribed on the World Heritage List and the Tentative List of World Heritage, UNESCO supports the MoICT in fostering international cultural cooperation, development partner coordination, mobilizes technical expertise,

and supports Lao PDR in exploring and accessing funding opportunities.

Investments in cultural heritage and cultural tourism in Lao PDR have proven to be effective at promoting sustainable growth, protecting natural and cultural resources, and raising awareness for greater inclusivity. Therefore, UNESCO engages with national and provincial Government bodies as well as with local communities, including youth and women, to support the protection and sustainable management of cultural and natural heritage sites as well as promotes sustainable tourism initiatives.

Pillar 2: Safeguarding the Living Heritage of Lao PDR

The promotion of living heritage, the diversity of cultural expressions, and the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage are important pillars of UNESCO’s support to the Lao PDR. At the policy level, UNESCO provides capacity building to MoICT including on the development of policies and measures that foster the safeguarding of Lao PDR’s intangible cultural heritage as well as promote the diversity of cultural expressions.

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UNESCO supports dialogue between the Government and civil society organizations on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions and facilitates civil society engagement with policymakers.

Placing a strong emphasis on the transmission of intangible cultural heritage and traditional knowledge, UNESCO advocates for and supports community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in Lao PDR, as well as focuses on creating sustainable livelihoods through intangible cultural practices.

Pillar 3: Supporting and Promoting Lao PDR’s Creative Sector and the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

UNESCO supports Lao PDR’s cultural and creative industries through a multi-pronged approach which includes the strengthening of national capacity and the provision of policy advice to reinforce Lao PDR’s cultural policy framework, particularly those policies that are relevant to its cultural and creative industries. UNESCO supports mappings of existing policies and legislations that are relevant to the cultural and creative industries and helps in identifying challenges and gaps that future policies should address.

Further, UNESCO empowers young creative Laotian entrepreneurs by providing them with entrepreneurship development opportunities that support them in sustainably managing their cultural businesses and allow them to make a living from their arts and creations. In line with the principal objectives of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions,

entrepreneurs not only receive training in and know-how of business development, but also learn about the 2005 Convention as a tool, including how global cultural frameworks and programmes can support their work at the local level.

Through awareness-raising, UNESCO sensitizes various levels of Government, cultural and non-cultural actors as well as the general public on the importance of cultural and creative industries and their contribution to the sustainable development of Lao PDR.

Pillar 4: Prevention of Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Goods

In the context of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, UNESCO provides capacity building training on stolen or illegally exported cultural objects to national stakeholders, as well as – upon Government request – provides negotiation support for the identification and restitution of stolen cultural objects.

Further, and with the aim to prevent illicit trafficking of cultural objects, UNESCO enhances the knowledge and competencies of the Department of Archeology and National Museums, Customs Department, and museum personnel in the coordination, management, storage, policies and procedures, conservation of collections, inventorying, as well as the documentation of cultural objects.

LOCAL PEOPLE ORGA N IZ IN G BACI CEREMON Y TO WELCOME A N D BLES S VIS ITORS IN LAO PDR

33


Table: Summary of Cultural interventions


Pillar 1: Building Capacities for the Protection and Sustainable Management of Lao PDR's Tangible Heritage

SDG 6, 11, 14, 16

Department of Heritage, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism

Pillar 2: Safeguarding the Living Heritage of Lao PDR SDG 4, 8, 11, 16

Department of Heritage, Department of Art, Department of Performing Arts, Department

of Public Culture, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism; National Library


SDG 4, 8, 11, 16

Department of Heritage, Department of Performing Arts, Department of Public

Culture, Department of External Relation, Ministry of Information, Culture and

Tourism; National Library; Civil Society

Pillar 4: Prevention of Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Goods SDG 11, 16 Department of Heritage, Archaeology Division,

Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism

VAT PHOU, UN ES CO WORLD HERITAGE CHAMPASAK

34


V IS IT O F T HE NAT IO NA L L IBRA RY O F LAO PDRVIENTIANE

35


3.3.5 COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION: Strengthening the preservation of and access to documentary heritage in Lao PDR

Through its work in the field of communication and information, UNESCO in Lao PDR promotes the preservation of and access to the rich documentary heritage of the country.

Under the umbrella of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme, Lao PDR has successfully inscribed the Neo Lao Hak Xath Film Collection as the country’s first inscription to the Regional Asia-Pacific Memory of the World Register in 2014. UNESCO continues building the capacity of stakeholders and supports the preservation of documentary heritage in the country.

Documentary heritage can include textual items (books, manuscripts, documents, stone inscriptions, etc.) but also non-textual items (maps, drawings, etc.) as well as audiovisual materials (films, sound records, photographs) and electronic files (web pages, databases).

To increase awareness about the significance of documentary heritage, to facilitate its preservation, as well as to promote universal access to it, UNESCO collaborates with the Lao National Commission for UNESCO, as well as with the Heritage Department under the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MoICT) and jointly conducts national capacity building training of stakeholders.

Training stakeholders include Government, national archives, libraries, and museums, and focus on the identification, preservation, and promotion of documentary heritage in general, including ways to increase the national and international awareness about Lao PDR’s rich history and heritage.

UNESCO further supports the Lao stakeholders to strengthen its network with and engage in the regional cooperation through the Memory of the World Regional Committee for Asia-Pacific (MOWCAP).

STA KEHOLDER MEET ING TO D ISCUSS OPPORT U NIT IES FOR T HE IMPLEMENTATION

OF T HE U NESCO M EM ORY OF T HE WORLD ( M OW ) PR OGRA MM E IN LAO P DR

Table: Summary of Communication and Information interventions


Supporting the Preservation of and Access to Documentary Heritage in Lao PDR

SDG 11, 16

Heritage Department, Ministry of Information, Culture and

Tourism (MoICT), Lao National Commission for UNESCO

36


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Part 4: Monitoring and EvaluationOngoing monitoring and evaluation are critical for UNESCO’s interventions in Lao PDR to assess progress towards the achievement of defined outcomes and to be accountable to UNESCO stakeholders, particularly to the Government of Lao PDR.

The UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education and Cluster Office in Thailand is able to demonstrate measurable impact and results of its interventions in Lao PDR through its ongoing monitoring and reporting of programmatic vis-à-vis strategic objectives and expected results stated in the UNESCO in Lao PDR Result Framework (Annex A), as well as through targeted impact evaluations.

Monitoring and evaluation of project activities are based on UNESCO’s Results-based Management (RBM) approach and constitutes an integral part of UNESCO’s monitoring mechanism in alignment with the UNESCO Programme and Budget document (C/4 and C/5) and the Lao PDR – UN Partnership Framework (UNPF) 2017–2021. Targeted evaluation activities provide credible evidence about the effectiveness of UNESCO’s actions in Lao PDR and hold the organization accountable for its results, particularly for projects funded by extra-budgetary sources.

The main data sources for the monitoring of the country strategy are planning and monitoring units of the relevant line ministries, as well as the Lao Statistics Bureau. Internationally comparable data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) is also utilized for international benchmarking and comparison.

UCS monitoring is based on the following principles:

1. Inclusiveness: Monitoring progress and making sure that necessary course corrections are consultative and involve key stakeholders and beneficiaries.

2. Credibility: Data and other evidence used by UNESCO to review progress and decide on course corrections should be reliable, credible and based on proper definition and methodology.

3. National Ownership: Data should be drawn from national sources to the extent that relevant and robust data are available in the required frequency.

4. Sustainability: Monitoring mechanisms and systems are sustainable and reflect transitions and phase-out arrangements for the UN system. Support for national capacity development on monitoring, data collection and analysis will reinforce the sustainability of actions.

5. Transparenc y: UNESCO is commit ted to transparency and accountability vis-à-vis all its stakeholders. At the country level, along with the UNESCO Transparency Portal, transparency efforts include the sharing of monitoring and evaluation data, as well as lessons learned, and regular project status updates through project-specific websites. UNESCO places great importance on engaging stakeholders and collectively demonstrating efficiency and effectiveness in supporting national development priorities.

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Annex 1: Cooperation and Partnerships Matrix

Priority Intervention Area 1: System strengthening for quality inclusive education that fosters peace, eradicates poverty, equips learners with 21st century skills, and drives sustainable development

Strategic Intervention Pillar

Related SDGs

Related GovernmentFrameworks

Implementation Partners

Indicative Resources (US$)Total

amount needed

Available To be mobilized


SDG 4

Teacher Education Sub-sector Plan within

ESSDP 2016-2020 & Draft ESSDP

2021-2025

Department of Teacher Education (DTE) and Teacher Training Colleges

(TTC), MoES

310,000 310,00 0


SDG 4

Early Childhood Education (ECE) Sub-sector Plan within the

ESSDP 2016-2020 & Draft ESSDP

2021-2025, Law on the Protection

of the Rights and Interests

of Children

Department of Teacher Education (DTE) and Teacher Training Colleges

(TTC), MoES, Graduate School of International

Cooperation Studies - Kobe

University (GSICS)

90,000 90,000 0

Pillar 3:Supporting Out-of-school Children and Eradicating Illiteracy across All Ethnic Groups by Promoting Lifelong Learning

SDG 4

Vientiane Declaration related Out

of School Children

and Youth, Ministry of Education

and Sports on Policies and Strategy to Support all

Out of School Children and Adolescents

Department of Non-Formal Education

(DNFE) and the Department of

General Education (DGE), MoES,

Educate A Child (EAC) initiative

1,000,000 0 1,000,000

39


Priority Intervention Area 2: Advancing and harnessing science and technology for sustainable human living, sustainable development, climate change action, and promoting knowledge, capacities, and scientific research


Related SDGs Implementation Partners


amount needed



SDG 4, 6, 11, 12,

13, 15

Lao National Commission for UNESCO - - -


SDG 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Lao National Commission for UNESCO - - -


SDG 6, 11, 12, 13,

14, 15

Ministry of Natural Resources and

Environment (MoNRE), Ministry of Agriculture

and Forestry (MoAF)

- - -

Priority Intervention Area 3: Supporting mutual understanding and working together to building inclusive societies and lasting peace




amount needed


Pillar 1:Internal Migration and Inclusive Societies

SDG 4, 5, 8, 11, 16 - - -

Pillar 2: Youth Empowerment & Advocacy

SDG 4, 5, 8, 11, 16 Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact - - -

40


Priority Intervention Area 4: Building capacities and promoting Lao PDR’s diverse tangible and intangible cultural heritage and its creative industries as drivers for sustainable development and social cohesion




amount needed


Pillar 1: Building Capacities for the Protection and Sustainable Management of Lao PDR’s Tangible Heritage

SDG 6, 11, 14, 16

Department of Heritage, Ministry of Information,

Culture and Tourism- - -

Pillar 2: Safeguarding the Living Heritage of Lao PDR

SDG 4, 8, 11, 16

Department of Heritage, Department of Art,

Department of Performing Arts, Department of

Public Culture, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism; National Library

- - -


SDG 4, 8, 11, 16

Department of Heritage, Department of Performing Arts, Department of Public

Culture, Department of External Relation, Ministry

of Information, Culture and Tourism; National

Library; Civil Society

- - -

Pillar 4: Prevention of Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Goods

SDG 11, 16

Department of Heritage, Archaeology Division,

Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism

- - -

Priority Intervention Area 5: Strengthening the preservation of and access to documentary heritage in Lao PDR




amount needed


Pillar 1: Supporting the Preservation of and Access to Documentary Heritage in Lao PDR

SDG 11, 16

Heritage Department Ministry of Information,

Culture and Tourism (MoICT), Lao National

Commission for UNESCO

- - -

Photo credits:

Front Cover: © UNESCO/S. Chaiyasook Page I: © UNESCO Page IV: © Ministry of Education, Lao PDR Page 1: © Shutterstock/Curioso Page 6: © UNESCO/B. Boer Page 7: © Shutterstock/Abdul Razak Latif Page 8: © United Nations in Lao PDR Page 9: © Shutterstock/Chantal de Bruijne Page 10: © Shutterstock/meunierd Page 13: © UNESCO/S. Chaiyasook Page 15: © Shutterstock/Trial Page 16: © Shutterstock/faizol musa Page 19: © Shutterstock/Stephane Bidouze Page 20: © UNESCO/S. Chaiyasook Page 22: © UNESCO/R. Manowalailao Page 24: © UNESCO/S. Chaiyasook Page 26: © Shutterstock/Fabio Lamanna Page 28: © Lao National Commission for UNESCO Page 29: © UNESCO/D. Young Page 30: © Hpuji NawngPage 32: © UNESCO Page 33: © Shutterstock/apiguide Page 34: © UNESCO Page 34: © UNESCO Page 36: © Shutterstock/Dino Geromella

Note: Open Access is not applicable to non-UNESCO copyright photos in this publication.

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[email protected]+66 2 391 0577

https://bangkok.unesco.org@unescobangkok

LAO

PD

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NESCO

Country Strategy 2020–2021

mailto:[email protected]

https://bangkok.unesco.org

lao pdr: unesco country strategy 2020-2021

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