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THE WORLD BANK INNOVATION DAY IN BANGKOK AIMS TO FOSTER NEW AND

INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS SECTORS. THE INNOVATION DAY IS COMPRISED OF

TWO PARTS: THE DEVELOPMENT MARKETPLACE COMPETITION AND THE REGIONAL FORUM ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FOR EMPOWERMENT

The Development Marketplace Innovation Competition of Thailand organized by the World

Bank Country Office in Thailand showcases projects submitted by Thailand-based public and

private sectors and civil society organizations around the theme, “Using Information Technology

to Improve the Quality of Life in Rural Thailand.”

The purpose of the Regional Forum, Civic Engagement for Empowerment, is to learn from and

reflect on the experiences of civic engagement for empowerment in Indonesia, Philippines,

Thailand, and Vietnam. Case examples will guide participants in drawing out key lessons on the

topic. Experiences highlight activities or processes where civil society has engaged to make a

difference in shaping the national development agenda or in improving development operations.

Examples include situations showing the: active participation of primary stakeholders in local

governance; redesigning of policies and strategies towards poverty reduction and inclusive,

equitable, and sustainable development; and the improved access of the poor and the excluded to

information, services, and resources.

The Forum intends to facilitate dialogue among diverse stakeholders on civic engagement

through a series of panel discussions using case examples. The discussions will result in key

lessons in civic engagement that will be documented and included in a publication. The themes

of the Forum are: Governance, Rural and Urban Development, and Information and

Communication Technology,. Participants will leave the forum with innovative strategies to: 1)

promote civic engagement and interaction among diverse stakeholders; 2) use information

technology to improve access of the poor and the excluded to information, services, and

resources; and 3) promote inclusive, equitable, and sustainable rural development.

The Forum is being organized by the World Bank Thailand Office, the NGO / Civil Society Unit

of the World Bank through its Small Grants Program, and the Development Marketplace. Similar

events are being held in Peru and Ukraine with a country or sub-regional focus. Special thanks

go to the NGO/ Civil Society Specialists, Pamornrat Tansanguanwong (Thailand), Suhadi

Hadiwonto (Indonesia), Angelina Ibus (Philippines), and Quang Ngoc Bui (Vietnam) for

supporting the production of the Forum and to the resource persons for their inspiration.

- Yumi Sera, Small Grants Program, NGO and Civil Society Unit, World Bank

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7$%/(�2)�&217(176�*29(51$1&(�INDONESIA: Participatory Planning in TATAR BANDUNG: The Case of City Development Strategy (CDS) and Majalayan Citizen Forum Hetifah Sjaifudian, Indonesian Partnership on Local Governance Initiatives

PHILIPPINES: Mainstreaming Participatory Development Planning in the Municipality of Tolosa, Leyte

Oscar Francisco, Institute for Democratic Participation in Governance PHILIPPINES: PROMOTING LOCAL INITIATIVES FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA

Rommel L. Martinez, Evelio B. Javier Foundation, Inc

THAILAND: Civic Participation in Local Governance Ruengrawee Pichaikul, The Asia Foundation VIETNAM: Promotion of Women’s Participation in Leadership and Decision-making Vuong Thi Hanh, Center for Education Promotion and Empowerment for Women �85%$1�$1'�585$/�'(9(/230(17�INDONESIA: Jogja Forum for Cultural Environment Conservation, As Media for Building Civic Heritage Movement Laretna T. Adishakti, Jogja Heritage Society INDONESIA: Preserving the Living Heritage “The Longest Longhouse in Kalimantan” Tantyo Bangun, Mapala Coop PHILIPPINES: Cebu Hillyland Development Program: Making Partnerships Work for People’s Empowerment Ramon R. Derige, Philippine Business for Social Progress PHILIPPINES: Partnership for Philippine Out-of-School Youth Felicitas C. Rixhon, Children and Youth Foundation of the Philippines THAILAND: Together We Save the Society Project Nisanard Yuthasamut, Krung Thai Bank Surapol Mulada, Local Development Institute VIETNAM: LEGAL AWARENESS FOR PEOPLE IN VILLAGES AND COMMUNES, A WAY TOWARD GOOD GOVERNANCE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL. Ngoc Giao Hoang, Centre for Legal Research and Services ,1)250$7,21�$1'�&20081,&$7,21�7(&+12/2*<�THAILAND: The Mirror Art Group: E-NGO

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Sombat Boonngamanong, Founder of the Mirror Art Group

GOVERNANCE

Case Example Title: Participatory Planning in TATAR BANDUNG:

The Case of City Development Strategy (CDS) and Majalayan Citizen Forum [This case highlights the combination of the CDS, illustrating the participation at the city and regency level, and the Majalaya initiative, illustrating a similar experiment for a smaller area.] Location, Country: Greater Bandung, West Java Province, Indonesia Year of Activity: 1999 to present Country Context: The process of political reformation in Indonesia has opened opportunities for significant changes in the conduct of public affairs in the regions. Enthusiasm about decentralization has already encouraged the emergence of new dynamics in the government bureaucracy and in civil society at the local level. The desire on the part of bureaucracy and planners to initiate a participatory process in the making of public decisions has increased, while the number of civil society groups ready to participate in the formal planning process has also risen. Amidst the Indonesians’ enthusiasm in entering their new political era, new problems and conflicts arise which require solutions; and likewise, new opportunities are emerging for the people to seize. Apart from that, as a country just arrived on the stage of democratization, Indonesia will unavoidably face dilemmas in applying the principles of democratic governance. Bandung is a city growing and expanding into a metropolis, surrounded by smaller cities situated in the Bandung regency. This development process demands a coordinated and integrated effort of both Bandung City and Bandung regency. In mid-1970’s, attempts were made to create an outline for the development of Greater Bandung, but these met with no success due to inconsistent implementation. The opposing interests of both regions prevented the successful implementation of the plan. In mid-1990’s, a similar attempt was repeated, resulting in a regional bill (Peraturan Daerah) to regulate the development and co-operation of both regions. This was also unsuccessful due to the absence of mutual vision between the two regional governments. The City Development Strategy (or the CDS) initiative in Tatar Bandung (Greater Bandung—consisting of Bandung City and Bandung Regency), besides being a new approach in encouraging the citizens’ participation in local governance, also serves as a field of inter-regional coordination to formulate development strategies in the era of decentralization. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: The CDS is a bottom-up planning pilot program, striving to: • formulate city development strategies via local initiatives • strengthen the capability of planning, management and budgeting for sustainable

development • formulate a more suitable World Bank program for specific local needs. The Vision of Tatar Bandung can be put into the words “Smart and Friendly”. “Friendly” means here safe, orderly, well-organized, secure, peaceful, religious, clean & hygienic, healthy, agro-based, nature-oriented, harmonious, and fertile (soil). “Smart” is supposed to mean here dynamic, modern, intelligent, lasting, efficient, productive, creative, and innovative.

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Majalaya is a town situated to the south of the Bandung Regency. Its various township issues have reached a critical point. Traffic jams, disorganized street vendors, floods and moral decay are some of the emergency issues requiring an immediate solution. At the beginning of the program, important stakeholders of Majalaya were in a potential conflict. There was no mutual trust among individuals, groups, and the local government. Majalaya was perhaps what may be called a “distrust society.” Naturally, this is a result of their past traumas and history. The Majalaya initiative strives to:

1. create dialogical mechanism among the primary stakeholders to formulate collective vision, orientation, perception, and commitment in the effort of recovering the situation in the area.

2. facilitate the formation of policy that is both participatory and transparent. 3. promote a process of involving the public in making decisions 4. provide reconciliation media for various social tension and conflict occurred in the area.

Key Actors Involved: The CDS case: The Government of Bandung City and Bandung Regency (especially the Local Planning Board), Non Governmental Organizations, Universities (Institute for Community Services of Bandung Institute of Technology) as a local consultant, and the stakeholders of Greater Bandung, such as various departments of the local governments, political parties, local NGO’s, research institutions, academe, professional associations, entrepreneurs’ associations, and community groups. The Majalaya case: Supporting groups: Participatory Planning Caucus (Indonesian Partnership on Local Governance Initiatives, AKATIGA center for social analysis, Community Base Information Network or COMBINE, Praksis or a group of community organizers, Local Planning Board or Bapeda, and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning – Bandung Institute of Technology) The Multi-stakeholders Forum: the representatives of various community groups / associations, local civil society organizations, village legislatives, association of village heads, and the local government at a sub-district level. Nature of Engagement of Action: The CDS program mediates the two local governments in reconstructing the main framework for the development of Greater Bandung. The formulation of the Vision and strategy in developing Tatar Bandung (Greater Bandung) was achieved in the CDS program through a serial dialog (in 30 sessions). The participants consisted of the Bandung stakeholders. The stakeholders to be involved on the next meeting were selected according to the decision of core people who attend the meeting. As a result, the CDS process was in a way unfortunately hindered by the continual replacement of the participants. In Majalaya, a supporting group facilitated the process of citizen visioning which then formed the local Multi-Stakeholders Forum, “Forum Masyarakat Majalaya Sejahtera” (FMMS). Five commissions were set up, some programs which have been implemented successfully : Commission A (industrial labor and housing problems) • To mediate dialogues between labor associations and industrialist in Majalaya • To discuss the process of relocation of Youth Centre.

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Commission B (market and street vendor management) • To initiate the forming of consortium team consisting of village legislatives, local

government and street vendor groups for the street vendor management . • Conduct special dialogue to reach an agreement on the issue of street vendor

management. • Lobbying to higher level government to ensure market relocation program. • In associate with community organizers to organizing street vendor groups. • Preparing a draft for local ordinance on vendors management which is formulated in a

participatory manner Commission C (transportation problems) • To overcome flood problem by forming special Task Force on Flood. The real action is

lobbying to local government and mobilized resources originated from citizen especially entrepreneur group.

Commission D (religious issues) • To consolidate with various religious groups through the pioneering effort of

development of “Syariah” Bank. Commission E (social problems, i.e. employment, culture and law) • To develop database system of manpower/human resource. • Together with commission A to mediate labor and industrialist. •Results Achieved/Change Instituted: The CDS has taught both NGO’s and Bandung universities that the participatory process is indispensable in formulating the vision for local development. The endeavor will be more effective if accompanied by efforts in institutionalization and empowerment of community groups. Various parties, from both NGO’s circle and Bandung universities, each with their own initiatives, are motivated to carry out further experiments, with some modification and improvement, in several areas of Greater Bandung. One of the experiment is held in Majalaya. The dialog process through the CDS has managed to reduce potential conflicts and rivalry between the two regions and has encouraged a cooperation agreement in developing the regions. The CDS has also become a media for routine dialogs on various issues of the Tatar Bandung development. In this aspect, universities may serve as a facilitator, due to their expected credibility and impartiality. The Majalaya forum has opened an opportunity to its citizens to assemble and to discuss their various pressing public issues. If they previously relied on the government as a problem solver, at present they are beginning to realize that better and faster solutions can be found through partnerships. Collaborative processes and dialogs, already established in the FMMS, have produced a two-way information flow, as well as democratic decision making and action planning. However, as an institution, the FMMS is still unstable, due not only to absence of its legitimacy -both from its constituents and the government (at the Regency and provincial levels)- but also because internally the FMMS still tends to be exclusive and is liable to get into conflicts. Another liability is the still rare involvement of women and marginal groups of Majalaya. The absence of a solid financial source to guarantee a continuous progress is also a problem. Apart from the existence of the Forum, there is some more specific progress achieved to enhance the citizen participation in local governance in Majalaya consisting of the following points: • The existence of collective vision in Majalaya urban management

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• The change of democratic behavior within the elite circle • The change of skill in performing participatory meeting and reconciliation process • The existence of the two-way flow of information from the citizen to the higher level

government and vise versa. • The existence of horizontal information through local media • The development of democratization, participation, and partnership discourse • The existence of willingness and commitment for sharing resources, either to finance

secretariat or forum activities. •Current Status: Besides its successes, CDS also faces several dificulties. One among them is the probability to implementing the resulting participatory documents. This is difficult to achieve because the document have no political legitimacy nor definite support from top local leaders. Therefore the enthusiasm in participation, long encouraged in the CDS program, is more or less reduced. Another is lack of institutionalization in the participatory movement, which is necessary for commitment of implementation. The Majalayan Citizen Forum FMMS is striving for the future to be more democratic and inclusive. Therefore, it is right now making the effort at organizing and strengthening the capacity of any other marginal group at the grass-root level, (among others: street vendor groups, youth groups, women’s groups, becak-driver groups, public transportation driver groups, etc.), in order to be more ready to involve in the Forum. Also, the supporting groups realized that reform in financial budgeting is also fundamental. There is a plan to advocate budget devolution to enhance the actual quality of civic engagement in local governance. Key Lessons: The CDS have yielded invaluable results to be used in future by those who wish to develop new initiatives in a more limited scope in the Greater Bandung areas. The role of Caucus Participatory Planning is to serve as a more effective media in studying the CDS results and in formulating new initiatives in Greater Bandung. The CDS and Majalaya cases have arrived at the conclusion that to encourage the citizens’ participation in the process of planning, the following points are indispensable: • Unreservedness and commitment, on the part of government officials and leaders at the

City/Regency as well as the local (Kecamatan / Desa) levels, are very important factors. Not only meant for moral support, but also for being actively involved in the entire process. The government’s open attitude will create a comfortable atmosphere for the other stakeholders, so that the latter will feel free to express their opinions without fear of the risks.

• Another important factor in encouraging a successful citizens’ participation is support from outside parties, such as the NGO’s, universities, and those who have access to information, expertness/knowledge, and finances. The greatest contribution from outside parties is, perhaps, support in the form of facilitation to the participatory processes.

• Perhaps the most important factor that affects the quality of participation is the high motivation to prepare and to contribute to a better future on the part of the citizens themselves.

CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Hetifah Sjaifudian

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Organization: Indonesian Partnership on Local Governance Initiatives (IPGI) Address: Jl. Kebon Waru Utara No. 7 Bandung, Indonesia Phone: 62.22.7204112 Fax : 62.22.7204112 Email: sishety@melsa.net.id; ipgisekr@bdg.centrin.net.id

GOVERNANCE

Case Example Title: Mainstreaming Participatory Development Planning in the Municipality of Tolosa, Leyte

Location, Country: Tolosa, Leyte, Philippines

Year(s) of Activity: oneyear

Country Context: On October 10, 1991, President Corazon Aquino signed into law Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991. It was one of the landmark pieces of legislation which transformed the nature of Philippine political administrative system at the national and local levels. The Code not only empowered the Local Government Units (LGUs) all over the country (41,939 villages, 1,510 municipalities, 85 cities and 78 provinces) by placing upon them the responsibility for development at the local level, but also provided local communities and civil society with greater and more significant roles in local governance. The Code reworked the framework of governance and instead of the top to bottom approach of government, it instituted local autonomy, devolved to LGU substantial powers and resources and decentralized decision-making processes. The barangays, the lowest units of governance in the Philippines are now seen as the center of democratization. Barangays, in both urban and rural areas, remain the basic sites for personal, and face-face interactions between elected government officials and his/her constituents. LGUs have three fold responsibility. First is the performance of management services such as administrative planning, zoning, drafting and enforcing of local legislation, local finance administration, including budgeting and planning. Second, the delivery of basic services (agriculture, health, social development, environment), and third is responding to the demands of the constituents. Rural democratization will not automatically come about under the decentralized set up. The inclusion of people’s organizations and NGOs in the local special bodies, while enlarging the base for direct participation has not brought about the desired effect. Local leaders observed that plans generated in the barangay and municipal levels still utilize traditional planning methods and approaches which produce plans that are not reflective of the actual needs of the people. The foremost problem to be addressed in local governance is the lack of capability among many LGU officials, particularly at the barangay level. With the empowering provisions in the Code, these officials must rise to the challenge of decentralization. This is one specific area NGOs such as IDPG fits well in helping the LGUs. By focusing on human resource development and strategic planning, NGOs can lend their distinct competence and expertise to LGUs. Local governance opens up opportunities for real negotiation, dialogue and information sharing between LGU officials and NGOs. Towards this end, the LGU can be an area that can nurture the growth of self reliant communities and lay the foundation for genuine people’s participation. The spirit behind the institutionalization of people’s participation is the understanding that once stakeholders in a locality are involved in the planning and administration of their local government units, they will be effectively engaged in the task of governance. The practice of participatory governance and participatory planning has shown that once the people are involved in formulating a plan for the development of their communities, they can be counted on to involve themselves in the implementation of these plans. While the Code mandated people’s participation, experience has shown that in practice this has not been the case. Many Barangay Development Councils (BDC) are not functional. Decision-making in the BDC is still monopolized by the Barangay Council. Most BDCs convene only once

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a year for the preparation of the budget. Most sectors and People’s Organizations (Pos) are not represented. The systems and structures for participatory planning and project implementation have not been installed. Planning and implementation are still lodged on the Barangay Captain and a few councilors. Projects funded by external donors (municipal/provincial local government units and national government agencies) are still being undertaken directly by the donors. While POs do exist in the barangays these tend not to be representative of the concerns of all the POs/sectors. Most are focused on their own sectors and sitios (geographic locations) and their plans and activities have not been mainstreamed in the whole barangay. The POs and the barangays have not established a cooperative mechanism to integrate/collaborate their efforts. The lack of empowerment of people and communities remains the central political reality in the Philippines today. The opportunities for more democratic participation in governance offered by the Local Government Code have remained largely unoptimised. Traditional patronage politics continue to dominate the Philippine political landscape. The interventions of some NGOs to optimize the windows of opportunities offered by the Code have managed to reach only a small fraction of the country. Legitimate POs and NGOs continue to struggle for the mandated participation in the local special bodies. The challenge remains of how to vigorously pursue organizing, education and formation work to enable peoples and communities to participate more meaningfully in governance and to effectively operate this empowerment process within local power dynamics. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: First, the project aimed to come up with barangay profiles and priorities and development plans and budgets, through participatory approaches. This was necessary so that the barangay plans will address the real concerns of the people, as the people themselves perceive these concerns. This would also fulfill the requirement of the Local Government code of 1991, which provides for bottom-up approach in development planning. Second, the project also aimed at constituting or revitalizing the Barangay Development Councils (BDCs) the planning bodies in the barangay as stipulated in the Code. Contrary to the provision, most barangays in Leyte and perhaps in the Philippines still do their planning with only the barangay chairman, or secretary, or the council involved. This practice disenfranchises people from participation and their concerns from being mainstreamed into the local government plan. Organizing the BDCs will ensure that the different sectors in the barangays are represented and their concerns aired and mainstreamed since they occupy 25% (the minimum) of the total seats in the BDCS. Third, the project was geared towards building the capability of the BDCs to conduct participatory profiling, problem prioritization, project planning and budgeting. One of the reasons why the barangays continue with what has become the traditional practice in planning is because they do not have the skills to conduct participatory profiling and planning. The work, however, simply requires basic skills in facilitation, and techniques in eliciting maximum participation that feed into the objectives of the group process. Telling what to do during the appraisal and planning, showing them how to do it, and letting them do the work, will ensure that they acquire the skills and technologies. Key Actors Involved:

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The PRA-BDPB project in the 15 barangays of Tolosa, Leyte was a collaboration of the Institute for Democratic Participation in Governance (IDPG), its local counterpart Tools and Concepts for Community Development (TCCD) and the municipal and barangay local government units (LGUs) of Tolosa. IDPG conceived and funded the project, Tolosa being one of its focus municipalities. TCCD, local counterpart of IDPG in Tolosa, conducted the PRA-BDP in the 15 municipalities and later facilitated the conduct of the municipal planning conference. The municipal local government unit provided technical support by deploying the staff of its planning and development office to help in the PRA-BDP exercises. The barangays shelled out financial resources for the purchase of supplies and meals of the planning participants. Existing people’s organizations in the barangays were drawn into the process. Since there are few people’s organizations, sectoral representatives were selected by the barangay residents to share their concerns during the appraisal and planning. Nature of Action of Engagement: Before IDPG started the work in the municipality of Tolosa and other focus municipalities, important trainings were conducted by IDPG to enhance the skills of the staff and equip the locals who will be involved in the development interventions. The first was a weeklong training on participatory governance and development planning. The training aimed to further develop the skills of the staff in PRA, Technology Participation (ToP) and participatory budgeting. They also learned the principles, legal bases, and multiple lanes of citizens’ participation in governance. The second was another weeklong training on Understanding, Measuring and Targeting Poverty. It was aimed at helping the participants understand poverty beyond the traditional yardsticks of income and consumption. Tools were also introduced so that the participants can correctly identify the poorest, vulnerable and excluded community members. IDPG staff, the staff of other NGOs in the region who are into local governance, MDPCs and barangay officials attended the trainings. Both trainings proved useful in the development interventions of IDPG especially in Tolosa. Before the conduct of the PRA-BDP exercises in the barangays of Tolosa, the preparatory work involved was networking with LGU officials, invitation/legworking of participants, orientation, planning, and scheduling the activities. The purpose of linking up with LGU officials was to solicit their support for the project and to make sure that whatever projects are identified in the participatory activities will be funded and integrated into the municipal development plan. Careful selection of participants was also conducted to make sure that all sectors are represented during the exercises and the most knowledgeable and articulate of sectoral concerns are invited or sent to attend. After the LGUs both at the municipal and barangay level pledged their support and the participants were selected, an orientation and planning session was called. The purpose of the activities was discussed, their details presented, and tasking was done.

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The exercise proper started with profiling. Using PRA tools the participants assessed their community situation, and identified their problems and the opportunities present in their community. Then they identified their priority concerns and who among the community members are most in need of the projects and programs. After the profiling, planning followed. The participants identified the results/changes they wanted to make within three years. Then they agreed on how to measure these results and identified essential actions that will bring about the results they wanted to produce. The key actions were then evaluated and categorized into projects. The tools used during the planning were a combination of Technology Participation (ToP) methods, PRA tools, a modified version of the Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) approach and some tools innovated by the field workers of IDPG. When all the barangays conducted the planning exercises a participatory municipal planning conference was called to scale up and integrate the barangay plans into the municipal development plan. The projects and programs identified in the planning were funded by the municipal local government unit. Projects which were not funded were included in the fund sourcing campaign of the LGU and the assisting NGO. The PRA-BDPs and PMDPs were then packaged for easy reference and marketing purposes. Specific project proposals were also made from the plans. Results Achieved / Change Instituted:

• Elected barangay officials have shown a new appreciation for citizens participation in governance. They have become more democratic and responsive to peoples’ concerns and priorities. Democratic decision-making processes and accountability mechanisms have been established through the newly established BDCs.

• An average of 40-50 people per barangay (50% of which were women) participated in the PRA-BDP exercises. They were able to influence how the IRA should be utilized and allocated especially for priority development projects.

• The PRA-BDP exercises helped shape the development priorities of the municipality and mobilization of additional resources to meet people’s demands. The exercises also became “participatory events” in the barangays.

Current Status of Engagement: The PRA-BDPs are currently being packaged. Fund-sourcing campaigns have been temporarily stopped because of the elections. Project proposals have already been written for some projects identified in the MDP. Small projects, however, identified in the BDPs have been included in the 2001 barangay budgets and already being implemented. Key Lessons: A core issue in decentralized governance is capability building that is informed and shaped by the LGU-NGO-PO tripartite processes and arrangements. Because of the current shifts in governance, capability building now focuses on improving institutional learning and effectiveness and building the competence of whole organizational teams (barangay officials, PO leaders and COs of NGOs) as managers of change capable of orchestrating basic service delivery, facilitating action on particular problems and enable basic communities to take charge and be versatile in inventing solutions. Also important is the creation of a training environment that helps develop

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bonding process among LGU officials, NGOs and POs. The current term for this is building up social capital. The barangay-bayan (municipality) is the appropriate size and scale of development and empowerment. It is where the grassroots have greater chances of exerting influence, and of directly experiencing the changes that they desire. But immediately the barangay has to be related to the bayan or the municipality which is the seat of governance. Barangay-level initiatives are the building blocks in strengthening the development and empowerment process from the bottom up. But the barangay-level forms of engagement between government and civil society are not enough. Improving barangay governance entails establishing greater linkages with higher level LGUs and other institutions to influence and make the public policy more accountable and responsive to people’s priorities. The barangay should relate with the wider processes of the municipal governments. The LGC has given municipal (and provincial) governments much more powers and more importantly resources “which should be claimed” by the barangays and communities. This paper argues that higher level LGUs like the municipality under the dynamic leadership of local chief executives can provide “enabling environment” in support of barangay-level participatory development and empowerment processes. Good governance has been equated with development. There is the need to strengthen government capacities in terms of administrative and managerial functions in achieving development goals. With decentralization and devolution, local governments may become capable and successful managers in pursuing development objectives but are not necessarily accountable and responsive to the priorities and concerns of the general public. But development should be combined with democratization processes. Strengthening democratization is a crucial component of good governance and should be pursued as a parallel objective to development. This means strengthening institutional structures and mechanisms that give citizens greater control over their governments and providing incentives for governments to act in the best interests of citizens. CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE Name: Oscar Francisco Organization: Institute for Democratic Participation in Governance (IDPG) Address: Rm. 304,Gold Trade Building, P. Burgos St., Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines Phone: 632-053-3253294 Fax : 632-053-3219352 Email: idpg@mozcom.com Organizational Profile: The Institute for Democratic Participation in Governance (IDPG) was established in January 1999. It is convergence of development workers and advocates inside and outside of government who are into the business of pushing for the three I’s framework of governance – implementation, improvements and interface. It aims to promote and institutionalize democratic participation in governance at the barangay/municipal levels in Leyte and Samar targeted at barangay Local Government Unit (LGU) officials, smallholder farmers/farmworkers, coastal villagers/fisherfolk and the rural poor as beneficiaries. Concerns on gender are integrated into the programs especially how they impact on the empowerment of rural women. The distinct yet interrelated program components of IDPG are:

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• Barangay Administration, Training and Management (BATMan) which builds capacities of LGU officials and civil society representatives in local development planning and administration;

• Policy Reforms on Local Governance at the Local Level through LGU-NGO-PO alliances pushing for priority amendments to the Local Government Code towards strengthening local autonomy;

• Political Fora and Active Citizenship which focus on political education and strengthening, political participation of community representatives and civil society in local development councils;

• Local Governance and Agrarian Reform/Food Security which aims to deepen decentralization particularly in the relationship between national government agencies and LGUs/civil society;

• Annual Rapid Field Appraisal (RFA) which monitor the progress and problems in deepening decentralization and to track the implementation of the substance and spirit of the 1991 Local Government Code.

IDPG works through local partners who are municipal and barangay local government officials and locally-based NGOs and POs. It is a member of the National BATMan Consortium of 36 NGOs based in 40 provinces involved in capacity-building, civic participation in governance and democratization and development in more than 2000 barangays. Resource Person’s Profile: Mr. Oscar Francisco is currently the Executive Director of the Tacloban City-based NGO, IDPG, which is doing local governance work in the provinces of Leyte & Samar (or Region 8, one of the poorest regions in the Philippines). He has more than 20 years broad experience and practice in community organizing and community development , popular education for people empowerment, grassroots leadership formation, institution development/organization strengthening, management of credit for poor target groups and strategies/methods in participatory agrarian reform and rural development. While rooted in local politics, he is also former national council and executive committee member of the party-list organization called Citizens’ Action Party (AKBAYAN!) which won a seat in the House of Representatives in the first party-list elections in May 1998.

GOVERNANCE

CASE EXAMPLE TITLE: PROMOTING LOCAL INITIATIVES FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA Location, Country: Municipality of Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

Year(s) of Activity: January 1995 to June 1998 Country Context: Philippines was bracing itself for national elections. Local government units (LGUs) were strengthening some key provisions of the Local Government Code and were thus open to strategic partnerships with NGOs and people’s organizations (POs) – as well as citizen empowerment and participation in local governance. Recognizing the significance of the political exercise and the openness and need of local governments to partner with NGOs, EBJFI linked up with four national NGOs in pushing a project called Promoting Local Initiatives for Democracy and Justice or PRODEM. The consortium operated in three strategic areas: Laguna in the island group of Luzon, Cebu in the Visayas, and Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. Fresh from its successes in promoting and strengthening local autonomy through citizens forums, regional consultation conferences, and enabling mechanisms for the implementation of the Local Government Code, EBJFI ventured into the town of Los Baños, Laguna in Luzon to empower local institutions for an effective public-private sector partnership and management of the local development process. As its name suggests, the PRODEM project sought to empower public and private institutions in Los Banos for strategic partnerships with the local government in the area of local governance, citizen economic empowerment, and people’s access to justice. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: The project took particular focus on program and policy initiatives that strengthen democratic processes, enhance the poor’s access to productive assets and services, and broaden access to justice. Specifically, the engagement sought to: • enhance the capacity of LGUs in the preparation of integrated development plans,

delivery of basic services, mobilization of resources, information management and in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of enabling policies

• strengthen NGOs/POs and institutionalise their participation in local governance processes

• enable poverty groups and poor communities access to productive assets, basic services and opportunities for employment and income

• raise the awareness of citizens and local authorities on basic human rights and responsibilities to strengthen the justice system

Key Actors Involved: The EBJFI’s engagement in the community involved the participation of several key actors and stakeholders. They include the EBJFI Project Management Team (PMT) who served as the main facilitators of the initiatives; the UGNAYAN-LB, the local federation of NGOs/POs/PS who served as the lead organization and mobilized broad community participation; and, the Municipal Government of Los Banos, who provided the authority for the project and the participation of all

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levels and branches of the local government. Special mention is made of the participation of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) whose pacifying influence contributed to the success of the Local Candidates’ forums. Nature of Action of Engagement: The initial engagement of the Project Management Team involved the conduct of Local Candidates Forums: one for the candidates in the provincial level; and another for candidates in the municipal level. The forums got together one of two candidates for Governor, three of three aspirants for Vice Governor, three of three candidates for Mayor and 33 of 36 aspirants vying for eight municipal council slots. The forums provided the candidates a fair and impartial venue for the discussion of their respective political platforms. The simple initiative also paved the way for the project team’s credible and lasting relationship with the local community and its officials. Initially coordinating with a core of eleven organizations, the engagement facilitated and hastened the organization of a local NGO-PO federation called Ugnayan-LB made up of some 79 NGOs, POs, and civil society organizations. The PMT was careful to adopt a facilitative position during the engagement and allowed the stakeholders to determine their development direction and feel ownership over their plans. The process of building a good relationship with the LGU was gradual and required patience, good humor, insight and sincere interest in the LGU’s work. Obtaining LGU support was done by making specific requests and not by making broad, generalized or across-the-board demands. Friendly relationships and offers of assistance started opening the LGU, and when rapport was developed, more information was obtained on how to effectively approach certain matters on how to obtain LGU action. Results Achieved / Change Instituted: • Easier LGU access

The initiatives undertaken before the elections set the tone for a lasting and meaningful relationship with the LGU. The fair, non-partisan conduct of the local candidates’ forums ensured that the PMT would have open communication channels and access to whoever won the elections. • Increased Activity in the GO/PO Sector and People Participation Mechanisms at the LGU

From only five active organizations in 1995, seventy-nine organizations federated to form Ugnayan-LB by 1997. Of these, forty-three were accredited by the LGU to implement community development projects. The participatory mechanisms that did not function in 1995 were reconstituted and were functioning in 1997. The nominal participation of the NGOs/POs have gradually changed to a unified and purposive collaboration in 1997. An Executive Committee that performs the function of the Municipal Development Council also operated with significant participation of the LGU. The Barangay Development Councils, through encouragement from the NGOs/POs have started to convene. • Respect of LGUs and National Government Agencies Gained

As of 1997, Ugnayan-LB is recognized as a genuine representative of local people’s organization by the Laguna Lake Development Authority, the Makiling Forest Reservation, the Provincial Government of Laguna and the Los Banos LGU, and is consulted on matters regarding legislative action and policies. The Los Banos LGU, in particular, through a Municipal Council Resolution, has tasked Ugnayan-LB to spearhead the preparation of the town’s Comprehensive Development Plan.

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• A Shared Vision in the 1997 Annual Investment Plan and the Los Banos Comprehensive Development Plan

For the first time, the municipality’s investment plan was geared to address expressed needs of the people. The process of incorporating people’s felt needs went through a painstaking and time-honored process made possible by the participation of gnayan-LB’s grassroots network of NGO/POs. Considered as a milestone in LGU-NGO/PO relation, The Los Banos Comprehensive Development Plan: 1999-2025 was completed on June 22, 1997. “The milestone is not the partnership per se, or so because it produced the Master Plan. The fact that the Comprehensive Development Plan was formulated by the citizens of Los Banos themselves, using talent from their own communities, that is the landmark achievement – the true empowerment of the people from all walks of life enabling them to plan their future by and among themselves.”

Current Status of Engagement: The PRODEM project officially ended in June 1998 and with it the Project Management Team. Ugnayan-LB still sits as a member of the Executive Committee, and nominates NGOs/POs for accreditation by the LGU. The Master Plan formulated by the LGU, the EBJFI PMT and the multi-sectoral groups that composed the Ugnayan-LB now guides all government and private investments in Los Baños. Key Lessons: 1. Appropriate and timely social preparations are necessary for the building of a lasting and

meaningful collaboration. The impartial, non-partisan, and fair conduct of the Candidates’ Forums paved the way for EBJFI’s easy access to the decision-makers in the local government units. The initial project initiative won the local officials’ trust and confidence. They became within reach of the Project Management Team. The series of briefings and orientations with the LGU set the tone and framework for succeeding initiatives.

2. NGOs/POs should be allowed to independently consider coalescing. By taking a facilitative

position and refraining from influencing their decisions, the stakeholders were given a free hand to determine their development directions and feel ownership over their plans.

3. There was need to create a conducive environment for collaboration. Despite the LGU

commitment of support to the project through a Municipal Council Resolution, efforts were made to strengthen interpersonal relationships. The PMT’s approach in winning LGU was gradual, and was founded on friendship, professional competence and a shared goal.

CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE Name: Mr. Rommel L. Martinez Organization: Evelio B. Javier Foundation, Inc. (EBJFI) Address: 4th Floor, LMP Building, 265 Ermin Garcia St., Cubao, Quezon City Philippines Phone: (632)912-8064 / 911-7114 Fax : (632)912-8065 Email: ebjfi@i-manila.com.ph / ebjfi@codewan.com.ph

Organizational Profile:

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The Evelio B. Javier Foundation, Inc. (EBJFI) is a non-government organization founded in 1987 by the family and friends of martyred Evelio Bellaflor Javier, the reformist governor of the Province of Antique, Philippines. The Foundation seeks to empower local executives, local government units, citizen leaders, and people’s organizations towards public service, local autonomy and participatory democracy. It translates this mission into action through programs and initiatives that: • Heighten the political maturity and leadership capabilities of Philippine local government

executives • Strengthen existing private sector support mechanisms for local executives and local

government units • Facilitate partnerships between local executives and their constituencies for local

development and political growth • Develop the capabilities of non-profit organizations towards more meaningful and effective

participation in local governance • Complement and/or strengthen existing local and national mechanisms aimed at promoting,

establishing and/or maintaining transformational leadership, participatory democracy, local autonomy, sustainable development, and economic self-reliance

• Enrich existing public policies and advocate for policies necessary for strengthening local autonomy, sustainable development, people’s participation, and good government.

Resource Person’s’ Profile: Mr. Rommel L. Martinez is the executive director of EBJFI. A graduate of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) with a Master’s degree in Development Management, he joined the Foundation in 1988 immersing himself in projects and initiatives that supported the promotion and strengthening of local autonomy and civil society participation in local governance. Among the projects he personally implemented is the Governance and Local Democracy Project Assistance to the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP-GOLD). The project assisted the League in the process of providing better services to its members, influencing public policy, and promoting local autonomy. He was at one time the Area Manager of Promoting Local Initiatives for Democracy and Justice (PRODEM) in Laguna, the subject of this case study.

GOVERNANCE

Civic Participation in Local Governance Page 20 Thailand

CASE EXAMPLE TITLE: Civic Participation in Local Governance

Location, Country: Thailand

Year(s) of Activity: 2000–2001

Country Context: Thailand is a democracy in the early and complex stage of democracies consolidation. The 1997 Constitution best illustrates this trend toward consolidation through the establishment of principles specifically designed to dismantle the political rules of the game which have enabled the Thai bureaucracies polity and the military to rule Thailand since 1932. The 336 articles of Thailand’s 1997 Constitution were designed to promote a wide range of political, administrative, and human rights reforms. The pivotal elements of the reform movement are citizen participation in governance, rule of law under constitutional supremacy, and constitutional mechanisms to promote and enforce accountability and transparency. At the heart of the constitutional reform movement is a revolutionary new scope for public participation designed to reduce the power of the bureaucratic and hold political leadership accountable. There are three problems with the participation factors. First, Thai citizens don’t know how to be informed participants in public policies—they were never provided the opportunity to learn, with exception of election. Second, many bureaucrats and local powerbrokers do not wish to lose the power and influence they have built over the past decades. Third, with a strong patron-client tradition, citizens have had little experience with participation; too often policy makers misconstrue participation from public relation, and they are then surprised by the level of public disagreement. The 1997 Constitution requires the establishment of a number of new institutions to enhance the accountability and transparency of Thai governance, such as the National Counter Corruption Commission, the Administrative Court, the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Office of the Official Information Board, etc. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: The Asia Foundation and the World Bank Institute envisioned the goal of the Civic Participation in Local Governance (CPLG) Project to be a test of a series of assumptions about how Thai citizens could be assisted to secure their new constitutional rights to participate in policy formulation and the governance of their local communities. The principal assumption was that a carefully designed training program implemented by participatory facilitators can change the values and attitudes of citizens, and provide them with the skills they need to transform themselves from passive members of the society into engaged, responsible participants in local governance. It was expected that a CPLG training curriculum would be drafted, tested, and a handful of skillful trainers on this subject could be created. Key Actors Involved: Apart from the Asia Foundation (TAF) and the World Bank Institute (WBI) who took the initiative in launching project, there were a number of government agencies and civic organizations that took part in the inception workshop and the CPLG training curriculum development. The six civic organizations committed to this joint effort which later formed CPLG curriculum development team, are the Local Information Center for Development (LICD), the Local Development Institute (LDI), the Union for Civil Liberties (UCL), the Women in Politics Institute (WIPI), the Women and the Constitution Network (WCN), and the Local Women Leaders of the North Club. Each organizations has it own network, for example, WCN has more

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than 48 women’s organizations across the nation. Because of the network mechanism, this project is able to reach a wide target audience in every part of Thailand. The project could have made a significant change if it ran its full scale. Nature of Action of Engagement: The engagement was achieved through an inception workshop followed by a series of working group meeting to draft the curriculum. The second step was to allow project members to recruit participants for the TOT course to test the draft curriculum. The third step was the revision of the curriculum by project member and invitees. The fourth step was to provide hands-on training for trainers through the delivery of the curriculum to actual target audience members. In this step, a series of ten pilot training program were conducted for 485 participants. Criteria for participant recruitment was set that participants of this project should represent the real community’s proportional members who all are stake holders (special privilege will be given to women, youth, handicapped and other powerless groups). The design of CPLG curriculum must directly increase of the capacity of local governments and their citizens to plan and deliver basic goods and services through promoting the concepts of local autonomy and good governance, and ability to foster techniques and tools for increased participation in the administration and oversight. Results Achieved / Change Instituted: The project’s achieved results were demonstrated through the study conducted in parallel with the project implementation to assess the impact of the curriculum development process, as well as collected and analyzed feedback and comments from participants. Most people reacted that the CPLG training project was very useful saying that “this training was the right substance at the right time.” Although participants came from very different backgrounds, those in the areas tested, all rank the three most beneficial subjects to be a) decentralization, self-governance and local autonomy; b) component of communities which provided them with situational analysis skills on their community situation, power relationship and the impact of the imbalance of power; and c) participatory planning and project monitoring. In one of the area tested the villagers were operating in a highly structured patron-client relationship, and in this situation the villagers required additional support to provide them with a balance against the overwhelming power, so local academic institutions or NGOs should have a role to speak on behalf of villagers to negotiate with influential the patrons. These villagers also require more skills in administrative oversight, legislative drafting in order to raise fee from exploitative investment to cover their environmental regression cost, and conflict management in order to deal with superior power. The program highlighted the need for more information resources and innovative methods to linking community networks. For example, one group concluded that if the locality may have to create some very good ordinance. How could these ordinances, or the law archive, be accessed? Or if they found a factory’s irresponsibility toward environment, how the internet and e-mail could be useful to report to the public and to stockholders. Some trained participants formed a group and wrote a project to the local government to lend them seed money for income generating activities. Current Status of Engagement: The Asia Foundation plans to allocate a seed budget to stimulate involved agencies to take in this project and consider to amplify the CPLG training curriculum produced under this project.

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Key Lessons: • Empowerment training module can be a powerful tool in engaging citizens to redress and

participate actively in policy making and administrative oversight. • Networking strategy has proven to be a strong mechanism for advocacy, constituency

building, and good governance. • Brokering mechanisms (academic, NGOs and media) are needed to act as mediumsw and

play a protective role in promoting good governance and active civic engagement. •CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE Name: Ruengrawee Pichaikul Organization: The Asia Foundation Address: Q House Convent Building D6, 38 Convent Road, Silom, Bangkok 10500,

Thailand Phone: 662-2331644 to 7 Fax : 662-2377011 Organizational Profile The Asia Foundation is a private, nongovernmental organization dedicated to supporting programs that contribute to a peaceful, prosperous, and open Asia –Pacific community. Drawing on 47 years of experience in Asia, the Foundation collaborates with partners from the public and private sectors in the region to support, through grants and other programs, the development of institutions, leadership, and policy in four broad areas: governance, law, and civil society; economic reform and development; international relations; and women’s political participation. With a network of 14 offices through-out Asia, an office in Washington, D.C., and headquarters in San Francisco, the Foundation funds programs in these areas at both a country and regional level. The Asia Foundation is funded by contributions from corporations, foundations, individuals, governmental organizations in the U.S. and Asia, and annual appropriation form the U.S. Congress.

Resource Person’s Profile: Ms. Ruengrawee Pichaikul is a Program Manager in The Asia Foundation’s office in Bangkok where she is responsible for programs in the areas of women’s political participation, human rights, local governance, and election. Apart from program management work she also serves as trainer and resource person on key programs, and develops training curriculum for gender, human rights, civic/voter education and local governance training.

GOVERNANCE

CASE EXAMPLE TITLE: Promotion of Women’s Participation in Leadership and Decision-making

Location, Country: The whole country of Vietnam Year of Activity:

Country Context: Vietnam is in the reform process and opens its door to the world. The Vietnam Government encourages the participation and contribution of everyone and every social classes in every walks of life such as economic, social and political fields in order to build a prosperous people, a strong country, a democratic, justice and civilized society. Besides large mass organizations, local NGOs are also favored to participate in the process of renovation. After 15 years of renovation, the number of NGOs has considerably increased and their contribution is highly valued in many aspects, including their engagement and influence on the Government’s policies.

Women’s participation in every fields is being promoted in order to bring into full play their capabilities and talents. Equal opportunity for men and women is one of the underlying tenets of the Party and Government of Vietnam. The Government has stipulated the strategies and National Plan for the Advancement of Women to the year 2000 with 11 concrete objectives including enhancing the role and position of women in leadership and decision making. In the last decade, gender policies regarding leadership and decision-making have attained positive results. The rate of female leaders in the Party and Government has increased in recent years, especially in the elected bodies. In the 1997-2002 term of the NA, 26% of the deputies are women, an increase of 8% over the previous term. The first National Plan of Action for the advancement of women has finished with some positive results. But many objectives set in the POA 1, including the rate of women in leadership, have not been achieved. Men continue to play the dominant role in leadership, fewer women than men hold positions of power and few influence decisions concerning key issues. The research carried out by CEPEW is to contribute to preparing for the National Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women from 2001-2005 (POA 2). Key Actors Involved: • The National Committee for the Advancement of Women - a governmental body who

gave out cooperation idea. • Donors: UNDP, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, CIDA, the World Bank and the • Ford Foundation who provided financial support. The donors’ specialists also contributed

their opinions and experiences to the research group. • The Center for Education Promotion and Empowerment for Women - an NGO - was the

research group. • Officials of the ministries and branches, policy makers, and leaders and women groups at

local levels provided information through discussions, interviews and meetings. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: • The main purpose of the research is to influence the Government’s policy and strategy on

promotion of women’s political participation. It’s to contribute to preparing for the POA 2,

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aiming at ensuring basic conditions for women to participate and benefit fully and equally in all aspects of political, economic, cultural and social life.

• The objectives: • Carry out a fact-finding investigation into the real situation of women’s participation in

leadership and decision-making. • Point out causes limiting women’s participation: concerning the State’s policies,

awareness and women themselves. • Make recommendations in order to increase women’s equal participation in leading and

decision-making positions. • Intended outcomes: formulating a set of recommendations which can influence the POA

2, hence promoting women’s participation in leadership and decision making. •Nature of Action or Engagement: The research is a part of the project VIE-96-011 of the National Committee for the Advancement of Women in order to build the National Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women from 2001 to 2005. Activities: 1. Collection and review of the existing documents and literature on Vietnamese policies

concerning women cadres and the situation of women’s participation in leadership and decision-making.

2. In-depth interviews with senior officials in order to supplement documentary evidence 3. Interviews and discussions with officials of some localities (province, district and

commune levels) 4. Qualitative survey of men and women groups in some rural and urban localities in order

to find out causes limiting women participation. During the process, the research group also met slight challenges. The research group had to carry out in-depth interviews with senior officials and local cadres but they had not yet been fully aware of the importance of the research. Besides, women’s political participation is also sensitive problem. So they are sometimes not very open and active. Results Achieved / Change Instituted: Recommendations: 1. Working out gender sensitive policies and strategies. 2. Raise of gender awareness for policy makers and leaders: • Inserting gender issues into the curricula of training schools of the Party and the State. • Holding trainings on gender awareness for policy and decision-makers. 3. Training and empowering women: • Leaders at levels identify capable women to be trained in the political schools of the

Party and the administrative management schools of the State to be promoted into leading positions.

• Organizing trainings on gender and leadership skills for female cadres in order to help women reject their inferiority complex and have self-confidence in their own capabilities for participation in leadership.

4. Raise of the community’s awareness on gender equality and encourage women’s positive images through mass media.

• Holding gender trainings for mass media workers (journalists, broadcasters, etc.) 5. Bringing into full play the role of the national mechanism for women advancement.

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• The research report was presented at the Conference of donors and the State’s officials and the governmental conference valuing the results of POA1 and preparing for POA2.

Almost all recommendations of the research have been presented in the National Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women to the year 2005. For example, Action 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of POA 2: the Government plans and nominates key female cadres at the central and provincial levels, to prepare female candidates for the National Assembly and other political elections. The Government guides the implementation of the plan for women leaders at all levels and branches. Action 4.4.1: The Government Committee for Organization and Personnel shall take a leading role in establishing and implementing the "Targeted programme for training women leaders" and provide guidelines to branches at different levels to establish and implement this programme. Current Status of Engagement / Change Instituted: • With the understanding that one of causes limiting women’s voices and participation in

leadership and decision-making is women’s lack of self-confidence and necessary skills on leadership and management. So CEPEW is providing trainings on leadership and management skills in many provinces.

• CEPEW also organizes trainings on gender awareness for male and female leaders at local levels.

• Besides, CEPEW compiles learning materials on gender for communication in the community in order to promote women’s participation in economic, social and political life.

Key Lessons: • The engagement field must be timely and suitable to the Government’s strategy. NGO has

to realize what field the State would like to attract NGO’s contribution • Engagement should be in official collaboration with the State and Government’s

agencies. Engagement is a process, including meetings, reporting and discussions with the Government’s agencies.

• There should be an equal relationship between the Government’s agencies and the NGO. For NGO has its own strengths. It knows well the needs and concerns of the people at the grassroots. The two sides should be in a cooperative attitude on the basis of the mutual understanding. The State’s agencies have to believe in NGO. The State’s agencies create favorable conditions for NGO to work with the concerned agencies and branches. The two sides have to coordinate through discussing, listening and accepting the other side’s opinions.

• NGO itself must be capable, credible and experienced in the research field. CEPEW has implemented some programs on women’s participation in leadership.

• There should be a network between the State’s agencies and among NGOs, so the work will be smoother and more effective.

CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE Name: Dr. Vuong Thi Hanh Organization: Center for Education Promotion and Empowerment for Women (CEPEW)Address: 113D1, Trung Tu, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam Phone: (84 - 4) 572 6789 Fax: (84 - 4) 572 6789 Email: Cepew@fmail.vnn.vn Organizational Profile:

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Goal of CEPEW: To empower women to achieve gender equality and enhance women’s status at home and in society. Objectives: • Contribute to the improvement of women's knowledge and skills. • Provide women with access to productive resources. • Mainstream women in community development programs. • Main tasks: • Conduct study programs on women’s needs and urgent problems. • Provide trainings to enhance women’s capability. • Develop and disseminate learning resources for women. • Implement community-based projects to improve women's quality of life (vocational

training, income generation, credit program, etc.) • Cooperate with various organizations and individuals locally and internationally to

achieve the objectives of CEPEW. Resource Person’s Profile: Dr. Vuong Thi Hanh is the director of the Center for Education Promotion and Empowerment for Women, an NGO, and is responsible for projects on vocational training and income generation for poor rural women at district and commune levels, gender and leadership trainings, prevention of violence against women to exercise gender equality at local levels, research on women in leadership and decision-making in Vietnam and on women’s and girls’ access to education. She was a researcher of the Institute for Education Science, Director of Hanoi Teachers’ College, Director of Personnel Department of the Education Ministry and Vice-president of the Vietnam Women’s Union. She was the head of the Vietnam delegation to NGOs Forum in Huara at the Fourtth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China in 1995. She has extensive experience in women studies, gender training, training of trainers leadership training. She holds a Doctor of Education Science.

GOVERNANCE

Legal Awareness for People in Villages and Communes Page 27 Vietnam

CASE EXAMPLE TITLE: LEGAL AWARENESS FOR PEOPLE IN VILLAGES AND COMMUNES A WAY TOWARD GOOD GOVERNANCE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL.

Location, Country: NamDinh, HaTay, HaiDuong and QuangNinh Provinces, Vietnam Year of Activity : March 2000 - March 2001 Country Context: Vietnam - local governance and people’s participation for Hunger Eradication and Poverty Reduction The Nation’s willing - the State’s goal

“Wealthy people - Strong State - Just and Civilized Society” Government Policy: • The National Targeted Program on Hunger Eradication and Poverty Reduction in period

1998 - 2000 - Program 133; The National Program on Socio-economic Development in specially disadvantaged communes in Mountainous and remote areas - Program 135; The National Target Program on Employment - Program 120; The Program on Reforestation - Program 327. These are significant national policies on HEPR.

• Commitments of the Vietnamese Government in the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP): (reform of public administration) 1. to increase governance abilities, monitoring, inspection of government and social

bodies. 2. to implement efficiently the Decree on enhancing democracy at the grass-root

level. 3. to establish a representative mechanism for the beneficiaries to take part in the

decision making process and monitoring implementation. 4. People have been provided adequate information on planning and financial

resources for projects, development programs in their localities. They have rights to make comments and opinions to make development plans, take part in implementation, operation and maintenance; and make labor contribution, and to reflect the role of people in increasing their responsibilities and self-reliance.

5. to decentralize in administration should go hand in hand with strengthening capacity for the local administrative organs.

6. to strengthen the mechanism and responsibility for monitoring and supervising at local levels.

Legal framework:• The Decree on enhancing democracy at the grass-root levels (Decree issued by the

Government on exercising democracy in communes - No. 29/ND-CP): 1. This aims to bring into full play the commune people’s mastery and creativeness;

to mobilize the farmers and people’s great material and intellectual strengths for economic development, social and political stabilization; to enhance the rural solidarity, to improve the people’s lives and knowledge; to prevent and overcome the problems of degradation, red tape and corruption, thus contributing to the cause of striving for a prosperous people, a strong country and an equitable and civilized society along the socialist orientation.

2. the direct democracy regime must be well implemented in localities so that people can directly discuss and decide important and practical issues that are closely associated with their interests.

State of affair - issues:

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• Low level of literacy and poverty are main factors to make people unaware of their rights. Therefore, in many cases people even are not conscious of the fact that their rights are being violated. Another word, Vietnamese people in rural, remote areas are legally illiterate. They do not have understanding of their political and civil rights.

• Provisions of the Decree on the grassroots democracy are quite good on the paper. However, implementation of the Decree and other legal documents as well is considered to be a challenge. Due to shortage of legal knowledge, not so many government officials at commune and district levels could understand dully and appreciate adequately the use and practical meanings of the Decree. Some government officials seem to be not supportive about the democratic ideas of the Decree, having in mind that people may make troubles for the authorities once they are well educated with their rights.

LERES concept - approach:• The poor is always voiceless. The poor often has feelings of ignorance and without self-

confidence. • Awareness of political, civil and economic rights at the grassroots would encourage

people, especially the poor and those living in rural areas, to be more confident and active to take part in political and socio-economic life at their localities. This would helps much with good governance and people’s participation at lowest level of the localities (communes and villages)

• Legal aid activities, legal information dissemination for people living in rural areas would assist farmers, especially the poor, to be able to stand up against corruption, law abuses and to evaluate performance by local governments in delivering public services and other activities.

• Legal aid, legal training and education, legal information dissemination at the grassroots levels (communes, villages and directly toward ordinary people) should be necessary and important activities under Poverty Reduction Process.

Key Actors Involved: Funding Agency:• South-East Asia Fund for Institutional and legal development - SEAFILD Canadian

International Development Agency - CIDA Implementing Agency:• The Centre for Legal research & Services - LERES, Vietnam National University Local partners:• People’s Committees of a) NamDinh city; b)QuangYen district - Quang Ninh Province;

c) TuKy district - HaiDuong Province; • Women’s Association of HaTay Province. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: Purpose: to ensure that legal information is available to Vietnamese people in rural areas in an understandable, relevant manner, in order that they can use the law to exercise their rights, address grievances, complaints, and abuses and meet legal needs. Specific objectives:

1. To increase legal knowledge of heads of villages and communes, and district officials, in order to facilitate governance by the rule of law.

2. To increase legal awareness of people in villages, communes and provincial districts. 3. To set up a model where-by a local (non-international) non-governmental institution like

LERES could work effectively with local governments to increase legal awareness of people and officials, promoting democracy at the grassroots levels.

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Nature of Action or Engagement: • Targeted groups under LERES’ Project : women; heads of villages • Vietnamese women in rural areas are quite active in social life. Many of women playing

leading role in household economy. Women are good in managing loans from the bank for the poor. At the same time, Vietnamese women are still facing with problems like domestic violence, gender’s inequality in social and political actions. So they need legal training.

• Heads of villages are persons selected by people at village. Heads of villages are not government officials. They play very important role. On one hand, heads of villages represent people of his/her village in many aspects of daily life before commune governments. On the other hand, they play a role like “ the prolonged hand of the local authorities”. This means that they facilitate implementation of government works (tax collection, civil registration, family planing, mobilization of resources for local development: roads, school, irrigation constructions, etc.) in their villages. Heads of villages are usually men at old age with quite prestigious repute in the village. Their prestige helps them much to success in settling disputes, grievances, and complaints in their villages. They could also be a good negotiator on behalf of villagers with the local authorities. Living together in the same village, heads of villages should have very strong and solid contacts with ordinary people in village, and understand them most. So, building-up capacity of Heads of villages in legal matters would enhance good governance and people’s participation at the grassroots levels (villages and communes)

Easy and simple way for low literate, poor people to learn, to understand, to use:• Learning by discussing practical cases on laws and rights happened in villages where

participants came from. • Easy reading Legal Manuals with illustration of real and practical cases help heads of

villages, villagers and commune’s officials to understand and to explain to others. • Legal Manuals contained of various legal issues, and written in a simple language make

convenient use by ordinary low-literate people. Good way to collect feedback information on governance, democracy at the grassroots levels.• Discussions at short legal training courses, giving legal aid, LERES has great chance to

gather useful feedback information on local governance, democracy and participation. Results Achieved / Change Instituted: 1. 662 heads of villages, commune officials, included 185 women in 4 provinces received

short legal trainings (Reading materials provided are quite helpful for them to spread around their basic law and rights understanding)

2. More than 30 000 copies of Legal Manuals have been distributed to all 61 provinces and big cities (whole countries); villages, communes in project sites received many legal Manuals.

3. Local NGO and some International NGO requested LERES to provide Legal Manuals to disseminate to their project sites.

• Heads of villages and a number of local government officials have obtained basic legal knowledge. These people became more confident and active at villages and communes. At project sites, people started having often meetings to discuss such issues as land use planning, commune’s budget and expenditures, people’s contributions and government budget allocated for development of commune’s, village’s infrastructures, etc.

4. Being trained and having legal manuals in hands, heads of villages now are able to look over attitudes and decisions made by local government officials. This facilitates good governance at the grassroots.

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5. After completion of the project, local authorities like NamDinh and TuKy districts and some other provinces (Binh Dzuong, Ha Nam, ect.) asked LERES to organize more legal training courses and legal information publicities.

• Many farmers, poor people from provinces have been contacting LERES for legal advices, legal Manuals and for legal aid.

Current Status of Engagement / Change Instituted:

1. LERES keeps giving legal aid to people • Depending on resources available LERES are providing some short legal training courses

for rural areas. 2. LERES is producing some pamphlets on political and civil rights and on Decree on

democracy at communes. 3. LERES is working on legal rights issues for Poverty Reduction Process in Vietnam. 4. LERES is now working in working group with Ministry of Labor, Invalid and Social

Assurance (MOLISA) and the National Centre for Social Sciences and Humanities on capacity building activities (local governance part) in the context of Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Key Lessons: 1. To ensure local government to understand significance and importance of legal

awareness, participation of people at communes and villages’ level. 2. To focus on heads of villages to make process like “drop of oil” to spread out information

and basic knowledge. 3. To use simple, easy understanding language with daily-life cases to explain complicated

law and rights issues. Another word, to make law issues attractive for low litterate people. 4. To facilitate, encourage implementation and respect of rights without saying much about

the rights, the democracy. 5. Grassroots - bottom, supervises the up, and makes it better. CONTACT INFORMATION Name: NgocGiao Hoang, Ph.D Organization: Centre for Legal Research and Services - LERES Address: 6F HangChao Street, Hanoi, Vietnam Phone: 84-4- 733-71-31 Fax : 84-4- 733-15-25 Email: NCHTPL@netnam.org.vn ; Giao@netnam.org.vn

URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Jogja Forum for Cultural Environment Conservation Page 31 Indonesia

CASE EXAMPLE TITLE: Jogja Forum for Cultural Environment Conservation

As Media for Building Civic Heritage Movement Location, Country: Kotagede Historical District, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

(local and provincial levels)

Year(s) of Activity: 1998– 1999, 2000 - 2003

Country Context: The total involvement of community in heritage conservation action is one of the key issues to be pursued together with the vitality of the space and economy. This case study exhibits a sustainable program, starting with a pilot project in Kotagede historical district in Yogyakarta city and supported by the World Bank Small Grants (1998 – 1999). Currently it has enlarged into province wide (2000 – 2002), and is planning to be developed into a nation-wide program (Indonesian Heritage Year 2003). Kotagede was the Old Capital City of Mataram in the 16th Century, and the Yogjakarta palace city was built in 1755. Jogja (the Yogyakarta Special Territory) as well as Kotagede has been shaped by various attitudes of cultures, such as indigenous Javanese, Hindu, Buddha, Chinese, Islam, and European culture, which combine to create a hybrid of the Jogja urban culture and its townscape. Presently, Jogja is known as a student city, a major tourism destination, the center for traditional and modern arts, and also as one among the best art centers in Indonesia. Kotagede itself as part of Yogyakarta municipality has been well known as a center of silversmiths. However, there are many of historic residential areas in Jogja including Kotagede that have undergone uncontrolled transformations. The changing of urban space, activities, and economic value reveals the various ways of the local people who loosely utilized their environment. Many historic buildings have been demolished and transformed into inappropriate new designs. Although the community awareness is there, the continued support from outsiders is needed in order to transform conservation ideas into action. Recognizing this, the maintain mechanism is the historicity and the control mechanism of changes denied focusing on the historical space and buildings, but rather stressed the role of local people. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: The aim of the project is to continue to support the community awareness on the importance of conserving culture heritage as well as to transform conservation ideas into actions based on the local resources. Kotagede has many problems due to the social changes. There are more and more young people who moved out from Kotagede. In their opinion, Kotagede can not full fill their demands of space at this moment. This brings about the decline of handicraft industries, the decrease of cultural activity interest, and the neglect of the architecture. Many traditional houses are ignored as well. Many people in Kotagede are actually aware of the importance of conservation; however, the increasing pressures toward Kotagede and the efforts to maintain community awareness are still needed. On the other hand, Indonesia is in the early stage of the conservation movement. There are not many precedents in conserving the living culture. In this

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case, experience and effort should be carried out through an action program based on the case study potencies. This program is also an exercise and a starting point in the community for resolving conservation issues of historical districts in Yogyakarta and in Indonesia. Hopefully, based on this program the community will be able to sustain the activities (although the support of the external group and financial assistance from various resources are still needed). The program can also be enlarged into other historical districts in Yogyakarta Special Territory. Key Actors Involved: The pilot project in Kotagede was conducted through the collaboration works among Jogja Heritage Society; Center for Heritage Conservation, Dept. of Architecture, Gadjah Mada University; Cultural Agency of Yogyakarta Special Territory (Provincial Government); and the local community. The program was formerly formulated within neighbourhood groups of communities. A local organization, Center for Studies, Documentation, and Cultural Development of Kotagede, which was inactive for several years has been reorganized to be a local partner in this project. Since than, various other local groups or institutions, such as Kotagede Historical Districts Management Group and local government spontaneously have been active in the project and create new programs by themselves. Non-local organizations such as travel agents, hotels, private sectors or groups of international scholars have initiated activities in Kotagede to support the local conservation movement through the tourism industry. Recently, the municipal and provincial governments have provided financial and moral assistance to support the community’s own programs. Nature of Action of Engagement: Understanding the Community Awareness on Heritage Conservation (1991 - 2001)The first ten years of engagement focused on understanding and encouraging community awareness. Heritage conservation is a continuing process of dialog on planning and management in order to meet the appropriate decisions of conservation actions and the proper institutional mechanisms with legal back-up. To achieve those goals, community awareness has been explored, understood, and promoted through several programs: • In 1991, the Governor of Yogyakarta stated that some sites need to be handled as a first

priority. In response to this, the Cultural Agency, Yogyakarta Special Territory founded a Historical District Advisory Team to provide conservation assistance for those sites. Historical Districts Management Group has been established in each site.

• Several heritage organizations were established in Yogyakarta . • 1998 – 1999, the Pilot Project: Conservation of Kotagede historical district has been

conducted by JHS & CHC financed by the World Bank Small Grant Programs, and supported by the Cultural Agency, and the Center for Studies, Documentation, and Cultural Development of Kotagede.

• Jogja Heritage Society since May 2000 has organized monthly dialog to promote awareness of heritage conservation and its action programs.

The Pilot Project: Conservation of Kotagede historical district (1998 – 1999) Two stages of programs conducted: Stage I, 1998, Conservation of Kampung Performing Arts and Its Environment; and Stage II, 1999, Conservation of Traditional Culture. In conducting

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conservation in the dynamic historical district that consists of various ranges of significant local resources, three basic principles are being explored:

1. People centered management: all activities should be conducted by the community for the community

2. Sequence of actions to revitalize: social culture – economic – physical approaches 3. Snowballing process in generating the assets of Kotagede:: from neighborhood to the

whole district; generate program from some activities into comprehensive program; sustain programs.

The Efforts and Project Implementations:Stage I, 1998, Conservation of Kampung Performing Arts and Its Environment

1. Discussions with the community were held in selecting and preparing the priority program. Kampung performing arts can be utilized as the expression of the community social life.

2. Heritage inventory and ideas for revitalization, including recommendations of several ignored traditional houses to be used as small-scale industries and tourism facilities.

3. To celebrate the Independence Day of Indonesia and to be a media to perform the seni kampung, a performing arts festival was held. A discussion among the performers met performers’ needs and strengthened the community relationship.

4. Through organizing the heritage tour, local people or the visitors will have new experiences beyond the ordinary tourist itinerary. The programs were prepared and managed by the local people.

5. Establishing library and multimedia network. 6. Revolving program for cultural activities.

Stage II, 1999, Conservation of Traditional Culture1. Organize a series of seminars on the future of Kotagede by collaboration of various

organizations. 2. Conduct heritage inventory and promote ideas for revitalization. 3. Organize Kotagede Festival. 4. Public awareness campaign and exhibition. 5. Heritage tour and cultural even organized by the community.

• Support conservation ideas into action. Not only the monuments or traditional buildings, the streetscape and its street furniture are also the focus of design. Some ideas that could generate local people’s spirit and could be directly implemented by them were rehabilitation of the alleys, kampung lighting, street furniture, etc.

Results Achieved / Change Instituted: The pilot project was conducted during 1998 – 1999, and the result was seen in the year 2000 where the local community self managed and financed a one month Kotagede Festival. This successful influence was seen in the policy of the local government to reform the approach of development, not to focus mainly on the physical environment development but also to consider social-culture development based on local resources. New local heritage groups have emerged and engaged with outsider partners including the municipality in conducting their heritage conservation programs. The central government nominates the Kotagede historical district to UNESCO for World Heritage List. Current Status of Engagement:

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Learning from the Kotagede Pilot Project and the Jogja Heritage Society Series of Dialogs (2000), several programs have been engaged and planned: Building Heritage Communities and Awareness (2000 – 2002)Establishment of Jogja Forum for Culture Environment Conservation in September 2000: The vision of this forum is to build the civic heritage movement by creating raised community awareness on the importance of natural and cultural heritage conservation in Yogyakarta in answering the time’s challenges. The actions in the year 2000 – 2002: • Organize monthly workshops March to July 2001, and to form a legally binding natural

and cultural heritage conservation council with working groups on the latest conservation issues. This council will become a partner and make recommendations to the government in managing the culture heritage resources.

• Organize Jogja Heritage Week, August 2001, to increase the heritage conservation awareness in Jogja.

• Organize Jogja Heritage Year along the Year 2002, to rethinking heritage resources for the future of Jogja in 2102.

• Actively engage in the Indonesian Heritage Year 2003, organized by Indonesian Network for Heritage Conservation.

Building Civic Heritage Movement (2002 – 2003)This Jogja Forum is proposed to be managed by and for the local community within conservation areas, will be a media for networking among neighborhood heritage groups and other private – public stakeholders, and will encourage innovative community initiatives. The activities include: • Organizing training of “Community Role Implementation on Heritage Conservation in

Yogyakarta”, 2002 • Providing micro credits for heritage community groups •Key Lessons:

1. Working with the community is, indeed, time consuming. It needs much more patience as it was thought to be needed; however, the platform for future development is much stronger.

2. Maintaining the physical assets would not be enough, preserving regardless of the liveability and economic vitality will destroy the community’s socio-cultural assets. On the other hand, the revitalization planning of the physical assets should be prepared during the efforts of raising the community awareness. In this case, it is very important to develop a comprehensive action agenda for conservation areas that are supported by multi-discipline human resources from government bodies, community, conservation experts, as well as private sectors.

3. To redesign the activity to be more effective, efficient, or inclusive, there should be: • Government support from various sectors is needed for community initiatives; • Instead, mobilize the various types of heritage organizations or forums, utilize the

neighbourhood/ social organization, or kinships meeting as a means of supporting the communication and dialogue and generate a community movement;

• In response to people’s expectations regarding economic benefit on heritage conservation, pilot or conservation demo projects should be continually conducted;

• Development of human resources (capacity building) of the related agencies and other relevant bodies including the community and mediation through networking, training, academic curricula, and development of infrastructure are urgently needed.

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• To achieve better understanding on the importance of heritage conservation, several forms of actions are necessary to be organized through the promotion of cooperation locally for various heritage communities and local culture groups. Hopefully, this will encourage the local people to manage their own assets.

•CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE Name: Laretna T. Adishakti Organization: Jogja Heritage Society Address: Jl. Pakuningratan 76, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Phone: 62274544910, 62 274 561239 Fax : 62274561239 Email: yhs@indonesia-ctc.co.jp

Organizational Profile: The Jogja Heritage Society (JHS) was established in July 4, 1991, under the "Panunggalan" Javanese Science and Culture Foundation. The main objectives are to promote conservation of historical living culture, architecture and built environment, and to innovate the future heritage by maintaining historicity and realizing modern needs in Yogyakarta. JHS fosters cooperation with government, institutions (local, national, international), private sectors, community, or similar heritage organizations in conducting various activities. The activities of JHS are: a) inventory and documentation; 2) conservation management; 3) community empowerment; 4) research; 5) education; 6) information and publication. For the purpose of exchanging cultural information, and technical expertise in the area of urban conservation, in 1991 JHS was the co-founder of the establishment of Asia West Pacific Network for Urban Conservation in Penang, Malaysia with Nara Machizukuri, Japan; Penang Heritage Trust, Malaysia; Badan Warisan Malaysia; Singapore Heritage Society; and Yaoshan Foundation, Taiwan. And for promoting the heritage conservation to the young generation and to provide an umbrella for all youth members of JHS, December 11, 1999, “Senthir” the Youth Spirit of the Jogja Heritage Society was established. Specifically, it aims to spread out the spirit of cultural heritage life to the young generation, the process of conserving the cultural and traditional activities, and to create cultural heritage in the future through maintaining historical aspects in modern life. Resource Person’s Profile: Dr. Laretna T. Adishakti, is the chairperson of Jogja Heritage Society who is now also acting as the chairperson of the Jogja Forum for Culture Environment Conservation and co-founder of Indonesian Network for Heritage Conservation. She graduated from Dept. of Architecture, Gadjah Mada University (Engineer, 1982), the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Master of Architecture, 1988), and Graduate School of Global Environmental Engineering, Kyoto University (Doctor of Eng., 1997). She currently works as lecturer in the Dept. of Architecture, Gadjah Mada University, for the heritage conservation planning, design and management courses, and establishes the Center for Heritage Conservation in the department to enhance and develop the heritage conservation in the academic level.

URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

CASE EXAMPLE TITLE: Preserving the Living Heritage “The Longest Longhouse in Kalimantan”

Location, Country: Sungulo Palin Village, Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia Year of Activity: 1999-2001 Country Context: Dayak’s people Long House are one of the living heritages which are part of the traditional cultures that still exist in Indonesia. There was tendency from Indonesian Government to eliminate the Long House existence under security and hygiene reasons, but ignoring its social context. This tendency weakened the customary institution which once encircled Long House. State power also eliminated the customary territory consent. These phenomenon led to state hegemony on natural resources. With the realization to endeavor the social well-being needs sufficient social capital, the role of a living heritage with its customary rules and rituals surrounding need to be revitalized. In reality, the role of tradition can be dynamic and adapted with the changing times. Regretful condition of the Long House caused by multi factors, the project attempted to preserve the Long House through multi disciplines activities. Mutually with the regional autonomy policy, customary community revitalization effort –- in terms of its territory, cultural heritage, and values—may become core component to develop nation’s pluralism. Determined by the fact that customary community structures are still dominant in Indonesia, this case could give significant contribution for people’s welfare policy planning. Key Actors Involved: Community of Sungulo Palin Hamlet – as a beneficiary and keeper of the Longest Longhouse in Kalimantan Mapala coop – Project Facilitator Anthropologist (Univ. Indonesia) – social assessment executor Buana Katulistiwa – spatial assessment executor Mendung, Tanjung Pura University, Pontianak – agriculture program executor Ilaga Adventure – ecotourism assessment and training executor LMA Danum Sorongan – Sungulo Palin community board Customary communities in Kapuas Hulu Regency Nanga Embaloh Village Administration Kapuas Hulu- Regional government Betung Kerihun National Park Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: Purpose • To formulate, rearrange and strengthen the rights of traditional people • To make a documentary and inventory of cultural value and process in the longhouse as a

living heritage by the community themselves • To make the traditional community right awareness by assisting some workshops and

comparative study to the other traditional community. • To gather other components among Dayak tribes in Kalimantan to formulate their

opinion through some community leaders (chiefs) panel meetings on the longhouse –as a cultural living heritage-- preservation.

• By the arrangement of the rights, some structure of the living heritage community board would be set up, who will be responsible for the longhouse by creating, implementing and looking after the rules

• To socialize the community board standard operation procedure of cultural tourism among the travel marketing network, within Kalimantan or cross-border tourism from Sarawak, Malaysia.

• To preserve the longest longhouse in Sungai Uluk, West Kalimantan, through the rehabilitation and building supporting facilities for tourism. The Rehabilitation works will be conducted by the community. However the Project organization will assist on the Longhouse material arrangement

• To provide inputs for government agencies and various interest groups by preparing reports of the project implementation and comparison with similar projects in other regions of Indonesia.

Output • Strengthened traditional longhouse community through the involvement in national

movement, and local effort to gain the knowledge to develop their potential, which will turn back the benefits

• This strengthened community will then be able to form the standard operation procedures for maintaining and managing their cultural living heritage, and furthermore composing the manual that is applicable for other longhouses and cultural living heritage.

• The Longhouse stakeholders meetings to document former social and cultural rules and law of longhouses.

• Documents of the rearrangement of the rights of traditional people (e.g. government rules).

• Multi country benefits (Malaysia/Sarawak cross border cultural tourism). • Physically improved longhouse, with supporting facilities for cultural tourism. • Dissemination & publications of the Embaloh Ilir community experience. • Dissemination & publications of Bali, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Tengger and Toba

communities experience. • Documentation of rehabilitation and building process, in reports and audio-visual format. Nature of Action or Engagement: Project started with problem identification, conducted in three activities: preliminary survey, social-culture survey and geographical survey. Main output from these activities is communication engagement with Long House residents, and social map. Main challenge was Long House community skepticism from the beginning, caused by their several unpleasant experiences with “Development Projects and Aids” which lacked transparency and used top-down approaches. There was an uncertain political structure within the community caused by State intervention to the customary institution. There is dualism between customary institution and state institution. Intensive communication and many community discussions eliminated the negative impression of the project. Other challenge is the nature of the activities e.g. Long House remote location, inadequate sanitary conditions, and time orientation difference with the community whose agricultural seasonal calendar did not match the project’s time schedule.

Results Achieved / Change Instituted:

One important achievement is customary territory map through participatory rural appraisal method. This activity is highly supported because the Long House community had conflict over land boundaries with neighboring village for years. With center of attention on community welfare, the residents of Long House in due course believe that preserving the Long House is part of the welfare achievement also Most noticeable result on community empowerment effort is community board itself. Community Board (LMA) is main channel for ongoing activities/ program. First function of LMA was as mediator on compensation negotiation with a logging company who operated in customary territory. After, LMA held dissemination process in Kapuas Hulu Regency scale, organized pepper agriculture development and farmer groups, conducted physical rehabilitation of the Long House and coordinated ecotourism survey and workshop. Currently the structure and working mechanism of LMA is emerging. It works on the pattern of program socialization, community decision making, implementation, and program report to the community. LMA has made an effort to be transparent and equal in their process. Current Status of Engagement / Change Instituted: Community Board (LMA) currently was asked by the Kapuas Hulu Regency Government to be a member of regional tourism board. The project is still expecting the third term of the grant to finalize the assistance toward LMA sustainability, mainly to achieve the marketing program on trans-border ecotourism. .Main task left to LMA is persuading the Regency Government and Regency Legislature to authorize the customary territory. By the authorization, customary community has a legal base to sustaining their resources and preserving their heritage. Key Lessons: 1. Profound understanding on the subject matter is central. More than 30% of the project effort

spent on intense learning on how community should be empowered. 2. In facing conditions originated by multi factor causes, the program implementation should be

in diverse sectors also. In the Long House case, its neglected condition caused by socio-cultural, politics and economy factors. Physical rehabilitation effort will not endure if the residents itself don’t have interest to preserve their heritage.

3. Community skepticism to empowering themselves may be eliminated significantly by intense companionship and optimism.

4. Different point of reference toward time and resources, required project –which was planned by modern logic time and resources— to make major revision on time and resource allocation.

CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Tantyo Bangun Organization: Mapala Coop Address: Jl. Borobudur 10 F3, Jakarta 10310, Indonesia Phone: 62-21 3153020 Fax : 62-21 7180610 Email: tbangun@indo.net.id

URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Case Example Title: Cebu Hillyland Development Program:

Making Partnerships Work for People’s Empowerment Location, Country: Five upland communities in Mananga and Kotkot – Lusaran Watersheds in the island of Cebu, Central Philippines (Visayas)

Year(s) of Activity: 1989 to 2001

Country Context: Metro Cebu is one of the country’s industrializing urban centers in the Visayas. As in other high growth areas, water has become an important resource for both the business sector and the local populace. Unfortunately, the watershed of Mananga, one of Metro Cebu’s major sources of water, is seriously denuded and threatened by intensive agriculture, estate development and commercial exploitation. At the start of Philippine Business for Social Progress’ (PBSP) program in Cebu Hillyland as well as its partnership with the local government, civil society and upland communities in 1989, these watersheds had an estimated forest cover of only 18% of its total land area. Communities were then resisting government and civil society interventions in resource regeneration with the fear of being ejected from the land they till - considering that the watershed they occupy is classified as public land. The shift in policies of the local government in the management of Cebu’s watersheds through the years have resulted in land conversion and entry of commercial activities in these areas. The civil society together with PBSP have protested against these moves. Civil society has led campaigns for rational land use, watershed management plan, and land access for upland communities. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: The Cebu Hillyland Development Program was implemented with the intent of re-establishing 45% forest cover, improving farm productivity and income of 922 marginal upland farmers, and promoting policies and programs aimed at attaining ecological and economic stability of the Mananga Watershed.

Key Actors Involved: As a collective of the local business sector, PBSP responded to the call of the Local Government Unit for support in the rehabilitation of the Mananga Watershed. It initiated organization of five upland communities and promoted agro-forestry, high value crop production in limited areas, soil and water conservation measures (Sloping Agricultural Land Technology), reforestation and other natural resource management strategies. PBSP also supported community participation in drafting a watershed management plan and land use plan as well as facilitated the involvement and participation of the business sector. The Business Sector, recognizing the importance of the Mananga Watershed to their business operations, actively engaged itself with the rehabilitation and community development efforts. Through their corporate giving and employee volunteers programs, the business sector provided the communities with the necessary resources and manpower for the establishment of reforestation parks and agroforestry projects covering at least 500 hectares. It also launched and supported its annual education and fund raising campaign through the Christmas Card Campaign which includes card design contest involving all local schools, travelling photo exhibits and

selling of Christmas cards. Proceeds go to the reforestation activities of upland communities in the Mananga Watershed. The business sector, together with the civil society, registered a protest against the construction of golf course in the watershed. As a result of this and because of the company’s own commitment to corporate social responsibility, the concerned real estate developer dropped its golf course project and instead proceeded with a housing and forest park project. The business sector also provided legal support to the communities in questioning the legality of a land titles acquired by a local business establishment. Unfortunately, the land in question covers part of the national park located within the watershed. The business sector also supports environment-friendly livelihood and farming activities of the upland communities that provide the farmers with stable source of income and discourage them from destructive activities such as “carabao logging”, slash and burn farming, fuel wood gathering and charcoal making. Resorts, hotels and wholesalers buy their produce on prices that are fair and acceptable to the communities. The business sector is also directly involved in policy advocacy. As a member of the Cebu Uniting for Sustainable Water (CUSW), the business sector helped in the formulation of a watershed management framework and is currently engaged in the drafting of the watershed management and land use policies. In 1989, the Cebu City government called for support for its rehabilitation and development efforts in the Mananga watershed. It further supported this initiative with the creation of the Mananga Watershed Development Council. Rehabilitation of the watershed began with the civil society which facilitated the involvement and participation of the Business sector. However, the shift in policies in mid 1990s resulted in the abolition of the council and allowed the entry of business establishments for commercial purposes. The local government has also become lukewarm to the legal case filed by upland farmers against claimants with questionable land titles. Tenurial security has remained unattended and unresolved. However, the government continues to engage with the civil society, the communities and business sector in policy dialogues and programs. The participating communities are now engaged in natural resource management. At the start of the program, about 65% of the households in these communities are living below the poverty line. They are directly involved with the reforestation activities and are now involved in the maintenance and monitoring of established reforested areas and reforestation parks. They are also involved in the management of the national park as member of the interim Protected Area Management Board. They implement farming activities using soil and water management practices and basic service projects such as water system installation and conduct medical missions. Communities continue to address land tenure problems and seek public policies for watershed management and land use. Cebu Uniting for Sustainable Water (CUSW) was founded by the civil society and the business sector immediately after the abolition of the Mananga Watershed Development Council. As an advocate, CUSW continues to campaign for rationale policies on watershed management and land use.

Nature of Action of Engagement: Through the years, PBSP’s engagement revolves in the following:

• Community organizing and institution building for people’s organizations • Introduction of natural resource management technologies, soil and water conservation

measures and livelihood • Helping communities gain access to basic services and productive resources • Helping communities build strategic linkages and ensure effective representation in

sectoral and multi-sectoral partnerships, and other local governing bodies • Developing capacities of community groups in advocacy for public policy reforms and

programs • Securing support from the business sector for the initiatives of communities in natural

resource management (resources, donations and employee volunteers for reforestation), advocacy for policy reforms, legal case against claimants with questionable land titles, and securing land tenure.

•Results Achieved / Change Instituted: Achievements: • Five community-based organizations with organizational and financial management

systems, reforestation and productivity improvement projects, and effective and sustained participation in the CUSW

• A coalition of community-based organizations able to define policy recommendations on watershed management and land use, engage with the other stakeholders in policy reforms, and address land tenure

• Communities reforested 1,570 hectares resulting in improved forest cover from 18% to 48% of the total watershed area

• 210 Households with access to potable water • 725 Households of the 922 target households have registered sustained income increases

– of which 209 households with incomes above poverty threshold of P 6,400; about 276 households with 100% increase from base income of P 2,000; and about 240 households with various level of increases from base income of P 2,000.

Change Instituted: The program was able to change the attitudes of the target communities towards their own development as manifested by their organizational and technical capability in implementing community-based natural resource management and most importantly in engaging with the other stakeholders in addressing policy issues relevant to land tenure, watershed management and land use. These disadvantaged communities are now capable of advocating policies and programs that will not only benefit them socially and economically but also help achieve the ecological stability of the Mananga Watershed upon which they are dependent for their survival and development. Leaders of the community are confident and able to engage with other stakeholders in addressing their own socio-economic development issues. Current Status of Engagement: PBSP shall continue providing capability building interventions to these communities to further enable them to: • ensure the stability of productivity and income of 725 households • expand their livelihood, farming and marketing activities to help the remaining 197 poor

households improve their productivity and income • provide technical and legal assistance in securing land tenure • maintain and expand reforestation activities, soil and water conservation measures, and

the establishment of agroforestry systems • continue implementing basic services projects to benefit more households

• engage with the government, civil society and business sector in the formulation, enactment and implementation of rational watershed management and land use plans.

The Business Sector shall continue to: • provide support to communities in reforestation, livelihood/farming activities and in basic

services • pursue environmental and fund raising campaigns for the communities and the

rehabilitation of the watersheds • expand community-business partnerships (e.g. marketing of produce) • provide legal assistance to secure land tenure • engage with the communities and civil society in the formulation of a rationale local

government policy on watershed management and land use. •Key Lessons: 1. A better understanding of land tenurial issues in the project area would have helped PBSP

and communities define policy reform agenda and advocacy plan at the onset of the program. Had this been done earlier, the program could have achieved substantial gains in terms of public policies on land use, watershed management and land tenure.

2. As experienced in the program, communities recognize the value of natural resource management (e.g. reforestation, agro-forestry and soil and water conservation measures), only after realizing and experiencing the socio-economic benefits of these activities. Productivity and income improvement have to be addressed first before communities can be convinced to engage in natural resource management on a sustained basis.

3. The business sector, being a stakeholder, can be an effective ally in promoting community-based resource management. Corporate sector involvement can go beyond giving. It can be mobilized in addressing development issues. Pre-requisites for corporate sector involvement include the following:

• education on and internalisation of Corporate Social Responsibility • involving them in development issues that directly or indirectly affect business operations

and bottom lines • providing them with the vehicle or means to engage

CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE

Name: Ramon R. Derige Organization: Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) Address: 3/F PSDC Real corner Magallanes Sts., Intramuros, Manila, 1001 Philippines Phone: (632)527-77-41 to 51 Fax : (632) 527-37-43 Email: mderige@pbsp.org.phWebsite: www.pbsp.org.ph

Organizational Profile: PBSP is a corporate-led social development organization founded by Philippine businessmen in 1970 in response to poverty and social unrest at those times. Since its inception, PBSP has become the business sector’s collective expression of corporate social responsibility. As its mission statement says:

“PBSP is committed to making strategic contributions to improve the quality of life of Filipino poor, promoting business sector commitment to social development; and harnessing resources for innovative programs that lead to self-reliance and sustainable development. In pursuit of these endeavours, the Foundation shall support broad-based partnerships, and develop a corps of dedicated and competent social development practitioners.”

In support of PBSP’s mission, member companies contribute 20% of 1% of their net income before tax to PBSP and its poverty alleviation and corporate citizenship programs; and involve themselves in addressing relevant development issues affecting business and society. Resource Person’s’ Profile: Mr. Ramon Derige has been in social development for the past 20 years – most of which was spent with PBSP, the largest and oldest corporate-led social development foundation in the Philippines. As PBSP’s Associate Director for Operations, he has been the resource person in charge of PBSP’s poverty alleviation and corporate citizenship programs. His work also includes mobilizing PBSP’s member companies as well as non-member companies, in partnership with other local stakeholders, in addressing issues such as poverty alleviation, natural resource management, inner city development, education and workforce development.

URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Partnership for Philippine Out-of-School Youth Page 44 Philippines

Case Example Title: Partnership for Philippine Out-of-School Youth

Location, Country: Philippines

Year(s) of Activity: Inception (International to Local): 1996 to 2000; Pilot Phase: July 2000 to Present Country Context: Tri-sector partnership is not really new in the Philippines. Yet, often this is done on an ad hoc basis with only NGOs implementing projects, the business partner providing funds, and the government agency linking the project to its own initiatives. This is especially true with projects for the children and youth. Key Actors Involved: In 1996, the International Youth Foundation advocated for the inclusion of youth development in the World Bank’s agenda. When World Bank embarked in Business for Partnership Development (BPD), youth development became one of its four thrusts. In 1997, Mr. Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, CEO of Ayala Group of Companies and Chairperson of the CYFP and Mr. Vinay Bhargava, World Bank Country Director in the Philippines, met and agreed to work out a project for the Filipino Youth. With the leadership of Mr. Jaime Zobel de Ayala and funding and technical assistance from IYF, Consuelo and the local World Bank Office, CYFP invited representatives from government, civil society (represented by NGOs and educational institutions offering non-formal education) and the business sector to participate in the analysis of the children and youth situation in the Philippines and project design. Then Vice-President and Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was elected as the Honorary Chairperson of the Project Oversight Committee. Children and youth in eight regions of the Philippines were consulted on their view and aspirations in life. These extensive research activities resulted in the design of a project framework that is responsive to the needs identified in the study: • Funding • More relevant skills training, on the job training, and employment/self-employment • Alternative learning system • Development of institutional capabilities of partners • The institutionalisation of the tri-sector partnership • A broader scope for programs that includes not only high school graduates, but high

school dropouts too. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: The overarching goal of the out of school children and youth project is the institutionalisation of tri-sector partnership for project sustainability. Program-wise, it is a response to the growing problem related to the high incidence of out of school children and youth in the Philippines. It seeks to implement basic, technical and/or life skills education projects to build the competencies of the out-of-school and to establish support mechanisms. The specific objectives of the pilot phase of the Project are as follows: 1. Replicate, expand, and/or innovate “best practice” sub-projects for the out-of-school youth

that will provide learning opportunities to basic education dropouts in basic, technical and/or life skills education; and to provide and/or prepare out-of-school youth for employment or self-employment opportunities;

2. Develop/strengthen one national and five local consortia (with memberships from government, civil society and the business sector) that are able to mobilize and complement resources and advocate for OSCY concerns;

3. Develop support mechanisms that will improve effectiveness of institutions in building competencies of the out-of-school youth.

Nature of Action of Engagement: The 14-month pilot phase of the out of school children and youth initiative started in July 2001, with ASEM funding and resource contributions from three sectors. The challenges were to: • Develop and build a structure for the project. • A Project Oversight Board and a Technical Working Committee were organized to

provide direction and technical support to the pilot phase of the Project. Members of the two bodies come from government, NGOs and business sector.

2. Identify and strengthen implementing organizations. • Civil society, mostly NGOs and technical education institutions (collectively described as

project implementers) are provided with funding and technical assistance to implement their “best practice” sub-projects.

• NGOs and educational institutions that would be best able to help develop competencies of the out of school youth are themselves provided training to improve their capacities.

3. Harmonize diverse policies and procedures. 4. Generate resources through consortia. • Initial attempts to organize consortia at the local level met with a lukewarm response

from the business sector. Businessmen, specially the local ones, voiced their desire to see concrete sub-projects and results. An adjustment in strategy was then made to reflect this desire.

• To counteract the attitude that companies see themselves only as sources of funds , proponents were asked to find partners who could provide resources that contribute to building competencies and income generation of the target beneficiaries. It became necessary to position the project as a “two-way street,” in which companies also derive many benefits from being involved with the project.

5. Advocate for adoption of new systems and expanded clientele. • The main challenge involved helping civil society organizations expand their range of

target beneficiaries and in implementing a new approach to alternative learning systems. 6. Matching training skills offered with industry needs. Results Achieved / Change Instituted: • Expansion of program beneficiaries • More relevant skills training and adoption of alternative learning systems • More technical education institutions are now consulting industries in the design of

curricula that will produce skilled workers needed by potential employers, thus increasing chances for employment of graduates.

• A concrete result of this initiative is the integration of the government’s accreditation and equivalency program by private technical education institutions in the vocational training of high school dropouts.

• Consortium building • Participation of each sector at all stages of the project.

- At the local level, each of the 21 implementing organizations is being assisted by two or more government and/or business institutions or individuals in the implementation of the sub-projects that result to increased number of beneficiaries and or efficiency in operations.

- After a workshop on building local tri-sector partnerships, the proponents are now starting to identify “champions” from among those they are already partnering with or members of the community to start the institutionalisation of tri-sector partnership.

Current Status of Engagement: CYFP shall continue with its crucial role in: • Acting as the conduit for funding and providing of technical assistance for capacity

building. • Training on alternative learning systems for the implementing organizations. • Serving as the secretariat of the consortium at the national level. • Assisting the implementing organizations on the local level in the creation and

maintenance of tri-sector partnerships. Key Lessons: 1. In partnering with the government, efforts must be focused on complementation of policies,

programs and services, instead of trying to fit these into those of the NGOs and the business sector.

2. Proof of effectiveness in terms of concrete projects and results are necessary before the business sector, specially the local ones, will “buy-into” resource sharing and complementation.

3. In motivating participation of the government and business sector, civil society must have “champions” as “salespersons” and focus on mutual benefits instead of the charity of donors.

CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE

Name: Ms. Felicitas C. Rixhon Organization: Children and Youth Foundation of the Philippines Address: 27th Floor, Citibank Tower, 8741 Paseo de Roxas Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Phone: (63-2) 848-18-65 to 67 and 751-12-13 to 15 Fax : (63-2) 848-00-51 Email: rixhonf@globe.com.phWebsite: www.fillib.org.ph/cyfp

Organizational Profile: CYFP was created in September 1993 by Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation (CZAF) and the International Youth Foundation (IYF) to enable marginalized 5 to 20 years old Filipinos develop into responsible and productive citizens. In 1995, the original agreement was revised, making CYFP a subsidiary of CZAF, with the former accountable for overseeing the implementation of the children and youth programs supported by the latter. CYFP remained as an affiliate of IYF. The four program thrusts of CYFP are prevention of child abuse and recovery and reintegration of victims; promotion of justice for disadvantaged children and youth; promotion of appropriate education for indigenous children and youth; and enhancement of the socio-economic potential of out-of-school children and youth. CYFP generally works in partnership with NGOs implementing children and youth programs. Funding and technical assistance and capacity building support are provided to the partner NGOs. As of the end of May 2001, CYFP, in its regular program, is working with 34 partner NGOs with 9000 target beneficiaries. In its special project funded by the ASEM Fund of World

Bank and in partnership with various government agencies, NGOs and business institutions, it has 21 partners in the delivery of services to the OSY, and a target of more than 4,000 children and youth beneficiaries. Resource Person’s Profile: Ms. Felicitas Rixhon has been the Executive Director of the Children and Youth Foundation of the Philippines since 1995.

URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

CASE EXAMPLE TITLE: Together We Save the Society Project

Location, Country: Thailand

Year(s) of Activity: 2000- 2001

Country Context: Thailand now has a new dimension in its development strategy by having the participation of the people from all walks of life in the Eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan, which has been in effect since 1997. This was the first time in Thai history that the civil society was able to participate in national planning, and human resources were recognized as a center of development. However, this process has experienced many obstacles, such as bureaucratic red tape, politics, education and management that must cope with global changes. These problems, along with the fallout from the economic crisis of 1997, triggered the beginning of the Civil Society Movement and Green Flag Movement, which led to the adoption of a new constitution in October 1997. This constitution is widely recognized as the key to decentralization of power, people’s involvement, and people’s liberty. Because the new constitution was achieved through the people’s empowerment, all sections of the civil society have realized the importance in protecting their rights and being involved in the political process. Before the parliamentary election in January 2001, there were waves of political restructuring, including the Forum for Social Contact, which encouraged politicians to declare their party policy, and in doing so, stimulate public interest in the election and voting process. In this year’s election, there was a voter turnout of 67% of eligible voters, and the Thai Rak Thai party, led by Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, won Thailand’s first majority government. The increasingly politically active civil society movement will now monitor the government process and continue to fight for their rights. They must also ensure that the Thai Rak Thai party keep their promises made during the election campaign. These promises include the 30 baht health for all scheme, a three year debt moratorium for farmers, and support for the Village Fund project. Since the economic crisis of 1997, Thailand has been affected in many ways: there is a great debt burden to Thailand, more than 3 million people remain unemployed, and 15% of rural people are under the poverty line. In this situation, many organizations (both governmental and non-governmental) are trying to rehabilitate the situation. In 1998, the 22 state enterprises of Thailand agreed to form “the Forum of State Enterprises for Social and Community Economic Rehabilitation” to strengthen the capacity of urban and rural sectors so that they can manage their own affairs (businesses) within five years. Therefore, in 1999, the forum organized the “Community Products Exhibition,” which took place during New Year’s and other occasions. From these activities, the involved communities and producers have learned that though they could produce products at a certain level of quality, they lack the management capacity for marketing to improve their marketing power. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: The main purpose of the project is to enable and enhance the capacity of the community in effectively managing their businesses within five years of the project period (1998-2003). The specific objectives of the project are:

1. To implement pilot community business projects in the provinces of Khon Kaen and Nakornratchasrima

2. To develop and compile a matching demand and supply list (from producers and consumers from 22 state enterprises)

3. Coordinate and organize communities to develop standardized products, geared to consumer tastes.

Key Actors Involved: To support the idea of sustainable community economic development, the Forum of 22 state enterprises, in collaboration with various concerned organizations such as NGO’s, local organizations, the business sector, and academic institutions proposed the project “Together We Save the Society” to the World Bank and also got a small grant for operation of the project. Nature of Action of Engagement: The main challenges that we encountered were the initial difficulty in getting different groups (NGO’s, producers, consumers, academics, etc.) to come together and see eye to eye and begin talking and cooperating with each other. This was generally overcome through perseverance and time. The various groups realized that there are mutual benefits to cooperation. Coordination and monitoring among so many groups over such a large area was also difficult. Although there were some initial difficulties in getting groups to meet and in staging events, things improved over time. Determining consumer needs was also a task that proved a sometimes difficult and lengthy process because of the large geographic area involved. Another minor difficulty was a bit of resistance from producers to adapt their products for the market until they realized the benefits of their bargaining power and increased product recognition. Overall, all of the actors involved have worked very well together, proving that civic engagement, though sometimes difficult and requiring increased input and coordination, is a powerful tool for civic development. Results Achieved / Change Instituted: Impact of the project after one year of implementation are: • The Community Business Plan was set up by the communities to address the villagers’

needs. It has helped to solve economic problems, largely because the input is from within the community and local wisdom is used throughout the process. Improved management skills (with focus on marketing) and improved package design are evident within the community. They are now better able to taylor products to consumer needs and wants.

• Products from the rural areas are now introduced to urban areas with cooperation amongst the established network

• Once a month, rural producers will meet consumers to discuss consumer/producer issues and so that producers are better able to adapt their designs for the market.

• Introduction of natural local resources in product production, and local resource monitoring and conservation.

• Several markets were established through corroboration of all stakeholders for producers to sell their products.

Current Status of Engagement: Currently, the Thai government is promoting the “One Tambon One Product” Project. There are about 7,000 tambons (municipalities) in Thailand. In July, each village will get one million baht for a revolving fund, which will help villagers establish their own small businesses or improve upon already existing enterprises. Related to the Forum mission, there is a model, which may be used at the community and policy levels to help in developing ideas of how to find markets for the 7,000 tambon products.

At present, Thailand is facing many serious problems. Individuals or organizations would not be able to solve these problems, but if all are helping each other to engage public awareness and make civic empowerment a reality, then issues can begin to be properly addressed. Recently, on the 28th of May 2001, the forum of 22 state enterprises staged a community product fair at the Regional Electric Generating Authority of Thailand, one of the forum members. Deputy Minister of Interior, Mr. Krinpathoom, was chairman of the opening ceremony. He was very pleased to see such civic engagement and to see CBO’s involved in the project. He said, “...the government and the state of the country will improve if all stakeholders turn their face to help each other.” Key Lessons: It is important that we increase awareness and consciousness among villagers so that they will protect plant life, wildlife and resources. When we first went to the villages to train on natural dyeing using products such as mangosteen peels, tree leaves and various indigenous plants, we found that there were often not enough of a certain type of plant. In some cases, natural resources within the villages, such as certain types of plants, were used indiscriminately, resulting in limited resources. Through this experience, it has reinforced the notion that equal partnership within a community strengthens the community. While in the past, when the government administered projects and directives to communities using a top-down approach, communities are now working in equal partnership, bringing about more positive change for the community. During our project, we merely acted as facilitators, thus ensuring participation amongst the community. With this process, the real needs and issues within the community come to the forefront, and not some government imposed needs or wishes. With the communities’ real needs and issues being addressed, sustainable change can then be made. This project involved work with local and grassroots organizations. While working at this level is excellent for making real and positive change, it is also important to be able to make your voice heard at the policy level. Working at the policy level and taking the necessary action would thus enable work being done at the grassroots level to have more effect.

CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE

Name: Mr. Surapol Mulada Organization: Local Development Institute Address: 693 Bumrungmuang Road, Pomprab District, Bangkok 10100 Phone: (662) 223-6713, 225-7293, 226-6373 Fax : (662) 226-4718 Email: ldi@info.co.th

Organizational Profile: Local Development Institute (LDI), is the project implementation arm of the Local Development Foundation (LDF). LDI is a non-governmental organization that was established in 1991. The organization aims to strengthen community organizations so that they may become self-reliant and self-sustainable. LDI, working in coordination with NGO’s and Civil Society Organizations, focuses on the following 4 areas: Civil Society Strengthening, Community Business Development, Environmental Promotion, and Social Development.

Resource Person’s Profile: Mr. Surapol Mulada, acting as Consultant to the Local Development Institute, is Head of the Agricultural Training Section at ORRAF (Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund). A native of Suratanee province, Mr. Surapol Mulada received his Master’s Degree in Development Economics in 1993 from the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) in Bangkok. Past responsibilities have included Project Coordinator for the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) and a special lecturer for NECTEC Research Seminar.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

CASE EXAMPLE TITLE: The Mirror Art Group: E-NGO

Location, Country: Mae Yao Sub-district, Muang, Chiangrai, Thailand

Year(s) of Activity: 6 years

Country Context: Minority ethnic groups in northern Thailand are varied and continue their ways of life through out obstacles in social condition. There are approximately 12,000 inhabitants (60% of population) in Mae Yao sub-district, Chiang Rai. Lacking in sufficient public infrastructure, medical service, education, and attention from government agencies, these hill tribe communities are experiencing problems such as drug abuse and traffic, scarcity of property, economic, and non-citizenship (non-documented identification vs. illegal migration). Political and legal conflicts regarding children born in Thailand, but not authorized for Thai citizenship. Racial issues are also a problem. Main Purpose and Specific Objectives of the Engagement: The program aims to build up stronghold community with pilot research on using Information Technology (IT) in sustainable development for hill tribe community especially regarding drug abuse and citizenship problems. The intended outcome is to see this community become a “stand-on-its-own” community that can work collaboratively and coordinate in overcoming shared problems. The program also expects a decrease in drug abuse, trafficking, and citizenship problems. Using IT in organization administration, database, public relation programs: public awareness, involvement, volunteer and fund raising, could increase efficiency and effectiveness of the program. Key Actors Involved: The Mirror Art Group has engaged the communit in youth activities and fieldwork study. The program focuses on integrative community build-up by publicizing using internet technology. There is a benefit of using IT in coordinating external resources such as volunteers, government agencies, and fund raising for community development. Nature of Action of Engagement: The program focuses on using IT in two areas: external (public) and internal (organization) communications. Facts on tribal community strengths, problems, and volunteer teacher programs are publicized and communicated on the website, www.bannok.com. This not only serves as a medium in the tribal community workshop in public (web-board), the website is also used in volunteer recruiting and fundraising for hill child funds purposes. The program’s benefits include the networking Volunteer teachers program (kru-asa), the integrative force in mobilizing community development, learning facts, ways of life, and factors affecting continuity of tribal identity. Furthermore, we also deploy such career development programs to the community and promote tribal handicrafts by using e-commerce as an alternative distribution channel via the website www.ebannok.com. Intranet is also developed for such administrative works such central database system, library, personal vs. organization schedule, programs, reports, and media edition.

First, the major limitation of this program is that infrastructure such as telephone lines is lagging. Also, it is challenging to figure out how to bring such hill tribe issues into public concern as well as the continuity of the program. In addition, the target audiences, middle class internet users, face a distance limitation in their involvement. The use of satellite internet of CS Internet company with ThaiCom satellite has provided 24 hours online services. Results Achieved / Change Instituted: The averages of 400 hits per day with total hits since December1997 are over 40,000. There are 600 volunteers from 30 volunteer teachers’ programs since December 1998. Bannok.com has generated nearly 300,000 bahtin public contribution while ebannok.com gained on average 10,000 baht per month. This increasing awareness in tribal issues shows results in gaining support for community development programs. Numbers of youth activities are influenced and enthusiastic in self-learning and have expanded into cooperation of community in collaboratively overcoming shared problems. Tribal communities in Mae Yao are joined in anti-drug campaign, while citizen granting and registration processes are well coordinated. Current Status of Engagement: Cuurrently, the program is focusing on community product e-commercial development via www.ebannok.com as an alternative source of funds to expand the tribal community products and becoming a central distribution for other communities. The program is also maintaining and expanding the volunteer program, fund raising, and contributions for the nearby community via www.bannok.com.

Key Lessons: The key successes of this program are • Fundamentally learning together with the community through its strengths and

weaknesses as well as enthusiasm, being patient, and staying concentrated on communicating • Pulling the potential of IT in increasing efficiency and productiveness of the organization

in terms of communication, database, and public relations. • Increasing the efficiency of the program by keeping up to date with fast turnover of

technology along with community relations program.

CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE

Name: Sombat Boonngamanong Organization: The Mirror Art Group Address: 106 Ban Huay Khom, Moo 1, Mae Yao sub-district A. Muang Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand Phone: +66-53-600554 Fax : +66-53-600554 Email: Superbuff@bannok.com Website: www.bannok.com

Organizational Profile The Mirror Art Group, found in 1991, is the local non-profit organization in Chiang Rai that focuses on hill tribe community development. We believe in the resource and potential leadership inherited in this young hill tribes. The partnership and mutual understanding among these young generations along with integrative potential in children, family, and community in

the shared social problems with awareness in importance of their unique culture, will awaken the collaborative action in overcoming such shared problems. Resource Person’s Profile: Sombat Boonngamanong is the Founder of the Mirror Art Group since 1991, now serves as director, editor, and webmaster of www.bannok.comand www.ebannok.com. He has served as the preparatory staff for digital-device related constitution-drafting assembly.