Knowledge Briefs

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 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.

The 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 the subnational and national levels. Between 2024 and 2025, the Program’s partners held 2,614 consultations with individuals, household heads, business owners, and schools from 16 provinces across Cambodia to inform their research on rural development, climate change, migration, the business environment, social protection, and education.

In September 2025, Ponlok Chomnes and its partners convened the National Policy Forum with 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 use evidence and promote 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. 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.

Ponlok Chomnes Provincial Policy Forum 2026 was supported by the Australian government.

To read the PPF booklet, please click here.