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Capitalization of experiences of NGO national platform (NPF)

 

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I
 History and Task of the NGO National Platform
II
 Function and Governing of the NGO National Platform
III
 Internal and external relations of the NGO National Platform
IV
 Other Remarks on your NGO National Platform
 
I. HISTORY AND TASKS OF THE NGO NATIONAL PLATFORM
1) HISTORY OF THE NGO National Platform

a) Please describe the important factors connected to the creation of your NPF (important events: famine, arrival of an international NGO, political crisis, etc)? 10 lines or more

 

The NGO sector in Lao PDR is still in the initial phase of development that why the number and the size are still very small, so that the role it plays in the socio-economic arena is not yet significant.

The concept of the establishment of social organization was initiated by the Lao National Science Council ( NSC ) staff members who is involved since 2001 with the participation of the 19 Conference of ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations ( CAFEO-19) in Brunei . Then the President of NCS applied the establishment LAO UNION of SCIENCE and ENGINEERING ASSOCIATION ( LUSEA ) of to the Government for approval.

Then CAFEO-20 hosted by the Engineering Institution of Cambodia (EIC) in Phnom Penh admitted LUSEA into membership of AFEO on 03/09/2002.

At this time only The Lao Union of Science and Engineering Associations ( LUSEA ) is established as the umbrella organization for the Civil Society or Social Organization in Lao PDR with the main missions as the following:

  • Unite and coordinate operations of its individual and Associations members.
  • R epresent the association members to deal with government office .
  • Promote cooperation with national and international institutions, NGOs and organizations;
  • Participate in the Lao Government in the development, implementation and assessment of government policies and socio-economic development programs.
  • Help the Lao people in poverty alleviation, health care, community development,
  • Contribute in the Human resource development of the government and Upgrade capacity building of its association members' staff.
  • Administrate, supervise, facilitate its associations members in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects supporting by the Lao Government and international Organizations or NGOs .
  • Promote vulgarization, socialization and dissemination of science and technology activities and create favorable environment for research and training ; and publicize the results of science and technology research.
  • Promote the participation of its association members into the process of any governmental policy formulation
  • And dialogue with the Government in any issues in order to assure the good and effective governance .

LUSEA could be served as the NGO National platform in the near future.

 

b) Please describe the significant growth of your NPF (extension of scope, increase in the number of members, activities, possible crisis)? 10 lines or more

 

According to the Notice No 53/GSICB dated 3 May 02, Government Structure Improvement Committee Board has issued a notice to NSC :

  1. Approve the establishment of LUSEA in according with the proposal of the President of NSC and the authorization of the Party Central Committee Organization Board.
  2. NSC is assigned to be responsible of the management of NSC ‘s Cabinet and LUSEA.
  3. The President of NSC is conferred to elaborate the roles, functions and working system of LUSEA to be submitted to the Higher Authority for approval.

Referring to the Decree No 59/PM dated 10/03/2005.

LUSEA is defined as follows:

LUSEA is the social organization at sectoral and provincial levels which composed of various individual members or associations; The Lao Union of Science and Engineering Associations is correctly established in accordance with regulations and laws of Lao People's Democratic Republic and undertake activities related to Science and Engineering.

The purpose of the Decree on the establishment and operation of the Lao Union of Science and Engineering Associations is to unite various Associations, Lao Intellectuals, Scientific Researchers and Engineers inside and outside the country within one Organization, in order to enhance mutual solidarity and to upgrade their own capacities in terms of intelligence and braininess in view of making contribution to the national construction and development towards prosperity.

LUSEA is a Social Organization, under the overall management of the National Science Council, it has the role to unite and to strengthen the solidarity among the association members; to facilitate, encourage and promote members in the activities related to research, application of technical and scientific knowledge; to provide advices or opinions to the Government on the activities related to Science and Engineering.

Currently, the number of LUSEA Association members is 18.
 

c) What are the strong points of your NPF?

 
  • Connecting point between of Lao Scientists and Engineers.
  • Basic organization model combines disciplinary member associations and local unions in provinces
  • Connecting point between civil society, Non Profit Organizations\Local and International NGOs .
  • association members , Government and Donors
  • Ability to mobilize Lao Scientists and Engineers to participate in the socio-economic development
  • Knowledge dissemination in many areas and in many ways ( workshops, training.. )
  • Good start Increasing relations with foreign scientific organizations, especially AFEO.
  • Arranging national and international conferences, workshops in many different areas (such as Decree on social organization )
  • Openness to new ideas
 

d) What are the weaknesses and points to be improved? (For example, in terms of institutional or organisational reinforcement, communication material, strategy, financial management, etc)

 
  • Lack of Knowledge and information on civil society.
  • suffer from financial difficulties
  • Donors still hesitate to support Lao social organization
  • Lack of experiences to formulate project proposal. Weak ability in brainstorming, project proposal writing and management.
  • Ineffective information sharing among organizations.
  • Still not dynamic.
  • Lack of experts
  • Funding procedure is still slow.
  • Most of state organizations do not really create enabling environment for NGO's activities.
  • Insufficient staffs: incompetent in English skills,
 
2) MISSIONS OF THE NGO National Platform

a) What services does your NPF offer its members? Give a detailed account of the aims and activities organized (type of training, counsel, communication means, etc)–10 lines or more
 
  1. Consolidating, developing the organisation and boosting activities of central and provincial / city's associations.
  2. Contributing to the socialization of activities in science and engineering, education and training, people's health care, community development, famine and hygiene eradication and poverty alleviation.
    • Vulgarizing and diffusing scientific and technological knowledge,
    • Organising activities in consultancy, assessment and social evaluations in view of contributing to build up scientific basis for making decisions on directives, policies, laws, programmes, plans of the government regarding the development of socio-economic, science and technology, education and training, environment protection, social security .
    • Science researching, technology developing, transferring scientific and technological progresses to production and life, and environment protection.
    • - Participating in community development, famine eradication and poverty alleviation, people's health care.
  3. Promoting the mobilization/motivation of scientific, engingeering and technological intellectuals:
    • Stimulating patriotic traditions, national pride, citizens' responsibilities, co-operation spirit, community character, loyalty, honesty and professional ethics
    • Propagating, widely diffusing directives, policies and laws of the state regarding the contingent of intellectuals, scientists, engineers and technologists.
    • Mobilising scientists and technologists from Lao overseas to contribute knowledge and efforts to the cause of building and defending the Nation.
    • Protecting legitimate rights and interests of intellectuals in scientific and technological activities; creating conditions for raising professional level, improving spiritual, material life of people engaged in science and technology.
    • Collaborating with the Lao National front, Trade UNION, Yunth Organization and Women Organization and other organizations in deploying common activities to promote the combined strength, contributing to the building of the whole nation's solidarity bloc.
    • Reflecting the expectation and contributed ideas of intellectual, scientific and technological contingent to the State and the Nation.
    • Participating in the struggle for peace protection, fight against war, for the friendship, mutual understanding and co-operation .
    • Strengthening the co-operation with other countries' associations, NGOs, joining regional and international scientific engineering and technological organizations.
 

b) Does your NPF take a stand with respect to government policies, regional or international institutions? YES/NO
If yes, which ones? In which domain (education, health, Human rights)? How? (meetings with the Ministry, Letters to the Editor, organisation of seminars, etc)

 

Yes
Contributing to the socialization of activities in science and technology, education and training, people's health care, community development, famine eradication and poverty alleviation
LUSEA delegation took part in CAFEO where 13 LaoEngineers who met the Asean Engineer qualifications and criteria and were awarded the title.

 

c) How are its stands elaborated and adopted (organisation of campaigns, creation of permanent commission or work group within the NPF, etc)?

 

VUSTA \ VNAH \ CONCERN WORLDWIDE sponsor study Tours and training courses for LUSEA on project formulation. Project proposal, Project implementation , Project monitoring and Project evaluation.

 
II Functioning and Governing of The NGO National Platform
1) Functioning of the NGO National Platform
 

a) What is the legal status of your NPF? Is it registered or declared with the authorities? What laws govern NGO activities in your country? Are there different laws for different kind of organizations? (NGO, association, union, collective group, etc) Specify in 10 lines

 

The civil society organizations in Lao PDR such as associations, grassroots organizations, Non profit organizations, socio-professional organizations and community based organizations have been started to establish in the country under Lao Nation constitution framework only. Up to now no regulation, decree and law on social organization is issued. But policy and Decree are on the way of developing.

 

b) What are the decision-making bodies of your NPF? (General Body, Administrative Board? Executive Administration? Ethical Board? How are these bodies designated?

 

General Assembly of Members at National Level is organized every 05 ( Five ) years to sum up the outcome of activities, design program and Policy for the next 05 (five) years, elect the new Board of Management, revise the internal regulation in case of necessity, set up the orientation of detail activities of LUSEA to be submitted to the National Science Council for approval;

Board Executive Committee of LUSEA compose 9 persons:

  • President
  • Two Vice Presidents
  • Committee Member in charge of the Monitoring
  • Committee Member, in charge of Mobilization Fund
  • Committee Member, in charge of Promotion and Extension of Associations
  • Committee Member, Secretary General of LUSEA
  • Committee Member, in charge of Finance
  • Committee Member, in charge of Engineers Registration

For execution, implementation and coordination of LUSEA's activities, the union has a Head Office with a few employees in functional departments.

The LUSEA‘s Office need to be restructured and put more employees.

 

c) Internal rules and ethics
Does your NPF have internal rules? YES/NO (If yes, please attach the document)
Does your NPF have code of ethics or other similar documents? YES/NO (If yes, please attach the document) -- > No
Have you changed the code of ethics or internal rules in the last 5 years? YES/NO If yes, please specify: -- > No

  LUSEA has its own Article of association\Regulation approved by the President of Nation Science Council but not yet approved by the National congress.

 

d) What are the conditions for membership in your NPF (financial membership, charter, participating in a commission or a work group, tasks relating to development or human rights…)?

  • Respecting and abiding by Regulations of the Union ,
  • Implementing resolutions of the Union .
  • Constantly contributing to the enlargement of influence and the improvement of position of the Union .
  • Strengthening the solidarity in the Union ,
  • And mutually supporting and collaborating in all activities.
 
 

e) Do you have international institutions as members (associations, NGO movements)? YES/NO If yes, how many? Are they specifically organized within the NPF?

No
 

f) How many members receive information about your activities and your members (letter, e-mails, meetings, web site, Intranet…)?

All member associations/NGOs. : 41, LUSEA members :18, not yet registered : 23

 
2) GOVERNING OF THE NGO PLATFORM

a) How are the Administrative Board members elected? What are their duties? (Drawing up strategic perspectives, follow-up of activities and budget…)? Specify.
 
  • Regarding the formal governance structure indicated in the Article of association, LUSEA as an umbrella organization has 3 important organs:
  • General Assembly of Members
  • Board Executive Committee
  • Inspection Committee

National organs of LUSEA

a) General Assembly of Members ( GAM ):

The GAM is the supreme organ of LUSEA . LUSEA has not yet organized it 1 st GAM
 

b) What are the functions of the General Body? Specify.

 

The Board Executive Committee is in charge of steering the activities of LUSEA and organizing the implementation of the resolutions of the Congress. The Committee holds a regular national meeting once a year and occasional meetings when the President of the Board and\or at least half the members of the GAM request.

 

c) Are there other governing bodies in your NPF? YES/NO If yes, what are their functions?

No
 
III. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE NGO PLATFORM
 
1) RELATIONS WITH THE MEMBERS
 

a) How many members are there in your NPF?

Members of LUSEA

  • Association of Lao Architects and Civil Engineers.
  • Association for research and Development.
  • Community and Environment Development Association.
  • Community Environmental Promotion and Cultural Association
  • Lao Promotion Biological Products Association.
  • Lao Biodiversity Preservation and Development Association.
  • Lao Community Development Association.
  • Lao Community Sustainable Development Association.
  • Lao Power Engineering Association.
  • NPO Lao ABC.
  • Non-Profit Association of Lao Development.
  • The Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development Association.
  • Rotary International Lao Association.
  • Rural Research and Development Training Center .
  • The Social Science Researchers and Speaking Promotion Association.
  • Sustainable Tree Plantation and Livestock Promotion
  • Technology Promotion for sustainable Development, Information and Environmental Management.
  • Vulnerable Lao Youth and children Development Association
 

b) Do you have work groups or thematic commissions ? YES/NO If yes, on what themes do they work (example: nature, health, objectives of the Millennium for Development, access to funds…)?

No
 

c) Do you assess the expectations or needs of your members? YES/NO If yes, in what way?

Among the task of the Union , LUSEA has tasks of consolidating, developing the organisation and boosting activities of central and provincial / city's associations as well as hearing their needs.

 
2) RELATIONSHIP WITH SPONSORS
 

a) Does your government provide reinforcement policies for NGOs? What are the arguments that justify this policy? What are the functions and special tasks attributed to NGOs by your Government, that justify the funds for reinforcing their capabilities?

Not yet.

 
 

b) Is there a specific financial system to reinforce the NGOs in your country (example: funds, special donations)?
If yes, what kind of capabilities do they support? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these funds?
Else, how does the NGO fund its capability-reinforcement programme (staff training, research, strategic plans, organizational diagnosis…)?

 

No specific financial system supported by the Government up to now. LUSEA received some small financial support from international NGOs for workshops and study tours.

 

c) Who are your sponsors? For each sponsor, specify the project you are working on and the duration.

  • VUSTA\ VNAH
  • COCERN WORL WIDE
 

d) How would you summarize your relation with the sponsors (easy/difficult access or communication problem of co-financing, flexibility or not, project pace, evaluation, unsuitable problems, financing of the general expenses of the establishment…)?

  • Language problem
  • co-finance problems
  • With some flexibility
 
3) RELATIONS WITH OTHER ASSOCIATIONS, NGO'S
 

a) Do you work with international NGOs, international networks, and national NGO platforms from countries other than yours? YES/NO If yes, please specify the names and the nature of relations:

 

No
 

b) Are there other NPFs or national NGO networks in your country? YES/NO
If yes, what are they? Do you work with these NPFs and/or national NGO networks? YES/NO
If yes, on what themes, what projects?

 

No
 
IV OTHER REMORKS ON YOUR NGO NATIONAL PLATFORM

Networking and future Vision

  •   Continuity & Sustainability
  •   Community Sustainable ( through professional Associations at all levels)
  •   Partnership building ( through internal networking and / or through technical coordinating committee)
  •   Initiation of Projects ( Regional Projects)
  •   Secure source of Funding