Laos: strengthening civic engagement

The classrooms of Dongsun Primary School in the country’s southern Khong district have changed since the deputy head teacher, Khambai Theppanya, has been able to use a computer for his work. There are materials hanging on the walls to explain school subjects to the children clearly. Khambai Theppanya researched some of them on the internet. A training session run by the Khong District Community Development Association (KCDA

) gave him the skills he needed to use the school computer. Before that, he did not know how to. He has passed on his newfound knowledge to his colleagues.

KCDA

is one of almost 200 registered civil society organisations that are promoting digital transformation in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. In the past, the Government did not always take a positive view of initiatives such as these. In the wake of democratic reforms, however, it has now created a legal framework for work by civil society actors. It recognises that they are making an important contribution to the country’s sustainable development.

GIZ is supporting this process with the Citizen Engagement for Good Governance, Accountability and the Rule of Law (CEGGA

) programme, a flagship Team Europe project in Laos. It was commissioned by BMZ and is cofinanced by the EU and Switzerland. CEGGA supports digital transformation in Laos, initiating dialogue and consultation at all levels of society and also focusing on information and data management. One of the aims is to improve digital knowledge and access by civil organisations, enabling them to contribute towards social cohesion. This is one of the building blocks for networking and involving all social groups, including people with diverse gender identities or sexual orientations.

CEGGA

is therefore also supporting the Association for Inclusion and Health of Homosexual, Bisexual and Transgender People by providing training on digital communication. Volunteers from the association can use social media to address target groups from the LGBTI community more effectively and inform them about contraception, sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS and treatment options.