Policy Forum

1. Introduction

Across Cambodia, local communities, researchers, and development practitioners have been generating a growing body of knowledge that reflects the lived realities, aspirations, and challenges of citizens. From community-driven development projects to participatory research on livelihoods, environment, and social inclusion, these local insights represent an invaluable evidence base for shaping policies that are relevant and responsive to people’s needs.

However, despite increasing research efforts and donor-supported initiatives in the knowledge sector, policy dialogue and decision-making processes often remain concentrated at the national level. Provincial and community-level perspectives, especially those from marginalised groups such as women, youth, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities, are frequently underrepresented in policy discussions. This gap limits the ability of policies to address the specific social, economic, and environmental contexts of Cambodia’s diverse provinces.

Ponlok Chomnes II (PCII): Data and Dialogue for Development in Cambodia Program (2023-2027), funded by the Australia Government and implemented by The Asia Foundation, has been working with various actors both at subnational and national level. Between 2024 and 2025, the Program partners have consulted 2,614 people/household heads/business owners/schools/school classes from 16 provinces across Cambodia on their research on rural development, climate change, migration, business improvement, social protection, and education.

In September 2025, Ponlok Chomnes and its partners convened the National Policy Forum on the theme “Inclusive Policymaking in the Age of Uncertainty: Connecting Knowledge, Policy and People.” The Forum brought together more than 200 participants from government, research institutions, civil society, and communities to discuss the future of Cambodia’s knowledge sector and explore priority issues such as climate-induced migration, social protection, and rural development at the national level. One of the strongest messages from the Forum was the need to ensure that national commitments to evidence use and inclusive dialogue are reflected in practice at the subnational level.

The Ponlok Chomnes Provincial Policy Forum (PPF) aims to support this shift. The PPF brings local evidence and community experiences into policy discussions and creates a space where civil society organisations, local universities, community researchers, and practitioners can share what they are seeing on the ground, under the theme “Connecting Communities, Evidence, and Policy: Strengthening Subnational Decisions for Cambodia’s Future“. It also enables provincial and national policymakers to discuss these findings together. The goal is simple: ensure that local knowledge is heard and can help shape better, more inclusive decisions for Cambodia’s provinces.

2. Objectives

To bring provincial experiences and local evidence into policy discussions by connecting community voices, local knowledge producers, and policymakers, so that decisions at provincial and national levels become more relevant, inclusive, and grounded in real conditions.

Specific Objectives:

• Surface key provincial challenges, solutions, and evidence by highlighting common policy issues faced across provinces.
• Reinforce cooperation between provincial governments, local institutions, and national ministries.
• Encourage adaptive and inclusive policymaking that reflects local priorities.
• Share practical approaches for inclusive dialogue and in translating research findings into policy actions.

3. Focus

The 2026 PPF highlights that policymaking must be participatory, context-sensitive, and grounded in community realities. It examines how inclusive and evidence-informed policymaking is practised at the subnational level, with particular attention to what enables or hinders provincial actors to use local evidence, engage communities meaningfully, and make inclusive decisions.

Rather than organising discussions around individual policy sectors, the Forum examines these questions through selected provincial cases. These cases[1] illustrate real-world situations where evidence, community experiences, governance arrangements, and inclusive practices shape how policy decisions are made at the local level.

The emphasis is on understanding how provincial actors gather and use evidence, how different groups participate in decision-making, and how subnational policies can become more responsive, inclusive, and grounded in local realities.

4. Expected outputs and outcomes

Expected Outputs

• Documented provincial cases that highlight key issues, evidence, and local solutions.
• A concise set of recommendations based on provincial experiences.
• Media coverage and communication materials that showcase key messages and provincial voices.
• A shared understanding among provincial and national actors on common policy challenges.
• Practical exposure to inclusive dialogue tools that can be used in provincial consultations.

Expected Outcomes

• Local research and evidence and community perspectives inform policy discussions at the provincial and national levels.
• Commitment from local authorities and stakeholders to integrate inclusive approaches into provincial development plans.
• Increased collaboration between local and national actors through continuous dialogue mechanisms.
• Provincial perspectives and recommendations inform national-level engagements, including the Ponlok Chomnes National Policy Forum 2026.

5. Target Participants

PPF is expecting about 100 to 120 participants from across target provinces and capital. It will be invitation based. The participants include:

Primary participants

• Provincial Government (Provincial, District and Commune Councils)
• Provincial departments (MoWA, MoEYS, MoSVY, MoE, MRD, relevant line ministries)
• National Authorities (NCDD Secretariat, Ministry of Interior, relevant line ministries)

Community representatives:

• Women
• Youth
• Persons with disabilities
• Indigenous groups
• Other marginalised groups

Tertiary participants:

• Research and academic partners
• Civil society organisations and grassroots groups
• Local private sector

6. Geographic Focus

Participating provinces:

• Battambang,
• Kampong Cham,
• Kampot,
• Pursat,
• Siem Reap,
• Stung Treng, and
• Phnom Penh.

7. GEDSI

To ensure the forum is inclusive and aligned with Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles and PCII Inclusive Dialogue Guidelines, the following action will be considered:

Inclusive Participation

• Ensure diverse representation/stakeholders and invite all relevant groups.
• Include women and persons with disabilities in the organising team and/or as speakers.

Accessibility

• Choose fully accessible venues.
• Provide accessible communication formats (e.g., inclusive registration list, braille materials, easy-to-read communication materials, plain language).
• Offer interpretation services, including sign language interpretation when required.
• Consider assistive technology if needed.

Reasonable Accommodation

• Offer travel support or personal assistance as needed.
• Consider dietary needs and provide adequate break times.
• Offer additional support and care for participants who are pregnant or are mothers.

Effective Facilitation

• Brief organisers/facilitators on roles and inclusion principles.
• Establish ground rules and promote equal participation, avoiding power dynamics.
• Recognise the intersectional awareness to foster deeper discussions.
• Avoid long discussions or extended sessions.

Feedback and Follow-Up

• Collect feedback on participants’ comfort and ability to express views.
• Share summary reports and outline next steps after the event.

8. Partners

PCII will work closely with its partners, including:

• GEDSI Consortium[2]: Cambodian Disabled People’s Organization, Gender and Development in Cambodia, and Women Peace Makers will ensure PPF’s inclusion, and facilitate and lead discussions where relevant.
• Innovation Fund Partners Round One[3]: Analyzing Development Issues Centre, My Village Organization, National Institute of Social Affairs, and National University of Battambang will engage with PCII to co-design the discussions and facilitate communities’ participation from their respective provinces.
• Innovation Fund Partners Round Two[4]: Epic Arts, Lakhon Komnit Organization, Nak Akphivath Sahakum, People’s Action for Inclusive Development will be engaged as resource persons, speakers, and moderators where possible, as well as represent the communities they have engaged with.
• Strategic Partners[5]: Cambodia Development Resource Institute and Centre for Policy Studies will be consulted for input and network of the communities they have engaged in their studies and join as speakers or moderators where appropriate.

 

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[1] Local governance, decentralization, and service delivery; Climate resilience, natural resource management, and community resilience; Sustainable livelihoods, local economic development, and rural development; Social protection, migration, and community wellbeing.

[2] https://policypulse.org/ponlok-chomnes/gedsi-consortium/

[3] https://policypulse.org/ponlok-chomnes/innovation-partners/

[4] https://policypulse.org/ponlok-chomnes/innovation-partners/

[5] https://policypulse.org/ponlok-chomnes/strategic-partners/