UNDP Cambodia made key contributions to pro-poor development in 2009 by supporting democratic governance, poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. Highlights included helping to build an alliance to respond to climate change, encouraging responsive government through decentralization, and promoting parliamentarians’ engagement with citizens.

UNDP assisted the Government in playing its part in international efforts on demining, land degradation, chemicals management, ozone-depletion and aid effectiveness. It also underpinned efforts to develop trade and creative industries and promote alternative livelihoods that help preserve both biodiversity and vital natural resources. Its work ranged from providing policy advice to organizing community self-help groups that enable families to improve their lives.

In the area of democratic governance, policy inputs contributed to the drafting of the 10-year National Program for Sub-National Democratic Development, and thousands of officials and representatives received training to enable them to carry out their new functions. Forums organized by the local government association conveyed local concerns to the Government. Parliamentarians engaged with citizens throughout the country and developed skills in exercising their representative, law-making and oversight functions. Balanced journalism encouraged debate on sensitive issues. Gender equality was incorporated into the decentralization programme and the revised National Strategic Development Plan. Alternative dispute resolution systems gave marginalized people greater access to justice.