Development assistance in Cambodia
Related initiatives
- Australia-Cambodia Cooperation on Equitable Sustainable Services Phase 2 (ACCESS 2)
- Australia-World Bank Partnership for Promoting Inclusion, Sustainability and Equality in Cambodia (PROMISE
- Health Equity and Quality Improvement Project Phase 2 (H-EQIP 2)
- Implementation of the Social Accountability Framework Phase II (ISAF II)
- Data and Dialogue for Development in Cambodia (Ponlok Chomnes)
- Public Financial Management Cambodia
- Australia Awards Cambodia
- Australian Volunteers program in Cambodia
Australia-Cambodia Cooperation on Equitable Sustainable Services Phase 2 (ACCESS 2)
$30 million, 2023-28
ACCESS 2 is strengthening the capacity of the Cambodian Government, civil society and private sector service providers to sustainably improve services for persons with disabilities and women affected by gender-based violence (GBV). The ACCESS 2 program seeks to build on the success and lessons learned from the program's first phase (2018–23). The program works in partnership with the Cambodian Government to support the implementation of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and the National Disability Strategic Plan. Activities include interventions at the national level and across four target provinces (Siem Reap, Kampong Cham, Kampong Speu and Ratanakiri).
For persons with disabilities this includes physical rehabilitation and inclusive public services. For women affected by GBV, ACCESS is targeting health care, legal protection, and other critical social services, while supporting a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to service delivery. In addition to its focus on service delivery, ACCESS 2 supports organisations representing survivors of GBV and people with disabilities to engage in policy and planning processes for GBV and disability services.
Related links
Australia-World Bank Partnership for Promoting Inclusion, Sustainability and Equality in Cambodia (PROMISE)
$50 million, 2021-25
The Australia-World Bank Partnership for Promoting Inclusion, Sustainability and Equality in Cambodia (PROMISE) provides a platform for collaboration to strengthen the sustainability and inclusiveness of public services, economic opportunities and COVID-19 recovery in Cambodia.
The PROMISE Partnership is comprised of two multi-donor projects (H-EQIP 2 and ISAF II) as well as a research and analytics component directly implemented by the World Bank to support equitable development (such as gender equality, social protection, and inclusive economic development). As part of the research and analytics component, $5 million is earmarked towards a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Programmatic Advisory Services Analytics (PASA) fund which provides flexible resources to respond to emerging priorities related to gender and social equality and to address lessons learned from previous World Bank partnerships in Cambodia and the region. The GESI PASA will provide a platform to ensure investment operations are better informed by research, analysis and advice, including contributions that aim to improve gender equality and social inclusion.
Health Equity and Quality Improvement Project Phase 2 (H-EQIP 2)
$30 million, 2022-27
More information on H-EQIP 2 can be found in Health Security in Cambodia.
Implementation of the Social Accountability Framework Phase II (ISAF II)
$15 million, 2021-24
The Implementation of the Social Accountability Framework (ISAF) is the Royal Government of Cambodia's Social Accountability Framework implementation plan, which aims to empower citizens to hold local government officials accountable for service delivery and budget allocation. ISAF Phase II (ISAF II) builds on the lessons learned in Phase I and aims to expand geographical coverage, embed sustainable accountability systems, and extend into one or more new services such as water supply, sanitation, agricultural extension, protected area management, solid waste management, referral hospitals or secondary schools.
ISAF II is supported by multiple partners and implemented by international and national NGOs and Cambodian Government agencies.
Data and Dialogue for Development in Cambodia Phase 2 (Ponlok Chomnes 2)
$9 million, 2023-27
Ponlok Chomnes 2 aims to advance the integration of evidence-informed decision-making and inclusive dialogue into public policy processes. This initiative builds on the learnings from Ponlok Chomnes Phase 1 (2019-23), which focused on developing the capacities of Cambodian institutions in conducting quality research to inform policy analysis and discussion. The second phase will focus on the practical application of these approaches, striving to establish evidence-informed decision-making as routine practice in the governance of Cambodia.
This will be realised through a set of mutually reinforcing activities conducted under four program objectives: i) Select policy research draws on diverse and inclusive evidence sources; ii) Select policy research findings are effectively communicated to diverse audiences; iii) Inclusive and collaborative policy dialogue processes trialled with diverse policy actors; and iv) Women (and other excluded groups) substantively engage in select policy research and dialogue processes.
Public Financial Management (PFM) Cambodia
$2.95 million, 2018-25
The PFM program promotes effective governance and diminishes opportunities for corruption in Cambodia. The program is administered by the World Bank Cambodia and used to finance public financial management reform activities including (a) providing rapid technical support, (b) strengthening budgeting, planning, and expenditure management, (c) implementing performance systems for enhanced service delivery, and (d) supporting innovation, monitoring, coordination, communication, and capacity building.
Australia Awards Cambodia
Australia supports Cambodia's education sector through our long-running Australia Awards Scholarships program. Since 1994 more than 945 Cambodians have been supported to study in Australia through Australia Awards Scholarships.
We target our education support primarily through scholarships, as this is where we can make a significant difference to Cambodia's human resources development and complement the large number of donors supporting basic education. Our scholarships fill a development gap – Australia Awardees must demonstrate they will make a contribution to Cambodia's development and they generally study disciplines such as agriculture and health which are less likely to be studied by privately-funded students.
Australian alumni are also brand ambassadors. A study for the Australia Awards Scholarships program in Cambodia found that Australia is seen as a safe, supportive and high-quality place to study. Ninety four per cent of alumni who participated in the survey had a positive impression of Australia, and over 99 per cent would recommend Australia as a place to study.
The Australian Alumni Association of Cambodia is a supportive partner of the Australia Awards Scholarships, and has a large and growing membership.
Related documents*
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Study of DFAT's Australia Awards in Cambodia: tracer study of Cambodian Alumni (1996-2013) | 2014 | Report |
| Australia Awards Scholarships Program Mid-Term Review | 2015 | Evaluation report |
Related links
- Australia Awards website
- Australian Alumni Association of Cambodia website
- Australian Embassy in Cambodia – Study in Australia website
Australian Volunteers Program in Cambodia
Australian volunteers play a vital role in the fight against poverty and contribute to the Government's public diplomacy objectives. Volunteering overseas is one way that Australians can make a positive contribution to poverty reduction, sustainable development and cross-cultural understanding.
Australian volunteers are placed with host organisations, including non-government and civil society organisations, educational institutions and government departments. Australian volunteers are from a wide range of professions, with diverse skill sets and experiences. Volunteer assignments range from three to 24 months.
Related documents*
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Volunteers Program country fact sheet - Cambodia | 2022 | Fact sheet |
| Final Design: Australian Volunteers Program 2017-2022 | 2017 | Design document |
Related links
*The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is committed to high standards of transparency and accountability in the management of the Australian aid program through publishing information on our website, including policies, plans, results, evaluations and research. Our practice is to publish documents after the partner government and any other partners directly involved in the delivery of the initiative have been consulted. Not all material published on this site is created by the Australian aid program and therefore not all documents reflect our views. In limited circumstances some information may be withheld for reasons including privacy and commercial sensitivity.