The Royal Government of Cambodia adopted the National Strategic Plan for Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2014-2025), setting a target for rural sanitation to achieve universal coverage (100%) by 2025. The Plan sets out a broad framework for how sanitation services are to be delivered in the context of decentralised governance in Cambodia. Strengthening rural sanitation roles and responsibilities at sub-national government levels is therefore core to reaching the country’s sector vision.

Through the World Bank-financed Technical Assistance (TA) on Decentralised Rural Sanitation Service Delivery in Cambodia, SNV is supporting the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) in the process of functional transfer of rural sanitation to district administrations. The TA is being implemented in fifteen districts across the Kampong Speu, Tboung Khmum and Kampong Chhnang provinces [1].

• Kampong Speu province: Basedth, Kong Pisey, Oral, Tpong, Udong, Samroung Thong and Phnom Srouch

• Tboung Khmom province: Memot, Tboung Khmum, O Reang Ov, Ponheah Kreak and Dambae

• Kampong Chhnang province: Rolea P’eya, Kampong Tralach and Samaki Meanchey.

The ultimate goal of the technical assistance is to accelerate achievement of universal access to rural sanitation across rural Cambodia by providing a framework of tested and agreed roles and responsibilities for sub-national authorities and line agencies. The TA will help to identify resourcing and monitoring requirements that can be operationalised at scale.

As part of the TA, SNV provides technical support andcapacity building in support of knowledge and learning processes at national, provincial and district levels. These activities aim to:

• Strengthen capacities of the MRD’s Decentralisation and Deconcentration (D&D) Working Group, the national-level Function Transfer Coordination Group (FTCG) and its members (MRD, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), and the National Committee for Democratic Development Secretariat (NCSDD-S) to effectively lead the functional assignment process of DRSSD. This will, in turn, improve coordination, communication and reporting with respective ministries.

• Foster district administrations’ role as the key drivers of good governance and sustainable and responsive rural sanitation service delivery through effective and accountable planning, implementation and service delivery monitoring.

• Assist FTCG members to perform their rural sanitation functional assignment roles, as mandated by relevant policies, action plans and regulations, and develop standardised technical guidelines for sub-national administrations, where appropriate.

• Undertake a financial analysis of transferred functions at sub-national levels to understand the cost implications of future nation-wide rollout.

• Lead knowledge exchange activities during implementation across and within national, provincial and district levels, capture lessons and use these to inform roll-out strategies and the development of necessary instruments.

Notes

[1] Ten of the 15 districts covered by SNV's Phase II TA benefitted from an earlier pilot phase.

Photos: [top] Training workshop in 2018 | [right] Behavioural change communications triggering session