Strengthening Local Democracy and Empowerment through Socio-Economic Development Planning

The project supports the development of a process for public planning, which ensures civil society and citizen influence, transparency, accountability, devolution of power and a poverty reduction focus with full attention to gender issues in the entire Province of Quang Tri. It is expected to become an example followed by other areas in Vietnam. Main purpose is to ensure quality in participation and citizen influence through true empowerment, poverty focus and full integration of gender, ethnic minority and environmental concerns.

The following key improvements are expected:

• Increased voice and influence from villagers and in particular ethnic minorities, women and vulnerable groups.
• Faster reducing poverty level as a result of more efficient fund allocation, implementation and sustainability of interventions due to community ownership
• More efficient government service delivery through increased dialogue with the citizens and improved decentralized planning and implementation in all localities in the Province
• Improved management of natural resources, environmental hazards, and
• Improved local adaptation to effects from climate change through preventive action and resilient societies.

This is to be achieved through

• Improved capacity of preparing annual Socio-Economic Development Planning (SEDP) for villagers, and commune staff, particularly those who are involved directly in preparing commune SEDP;
• Improved guidelines
• Improved participation and coordination between all stakeholde.

ORGUT has been contracted to support the development of local policies which puts into practice rights-based principle, citizen participation, decentralization, gender equity, transparency and accountability through development of guidelines, training programs and the local processes.