Strategic Support to Enhancing the Role of the National Assembly and the Provincial People's Assemblies

Summary

Building on the achievements and lessons learnt, UNDP’s renewed support aims to address challenges faced by both the National Assembly (NA) and People’s Provincial Assemblies (PPAs) to perform their respective important roles, better represent citizens’ interests, and undertake policy and law-making to tackle the country’s development challenges. 

Background

As one of its very first development partners, UNDP has a well- established and privileged partnership with the National Assembly (NA) of Lao PDR. The previous joint project, “National Assembly Strategic Support Project” (NASSP), contributed to the strengthening of the National Assembly and supported its aspirations to become a more independent, accountable, inclusive and responsive institution that can enhance state- society relations, promote an inclusive political process and effectively promote good governance and the rule of law. UNDP’s partnership with the NA, also supported by various development partners, helped to lay the foundation for a functioning legislative branch in Lao PDR. Continued efforts are required to support the NA and 2016- established People’s Provincial Assemblies (PPAs) in their work to build and sustain development in the entireness of the country. 

NASSP II is the second phase of the flagship programme between the National Assembly and UNDP. UNDP engagement has been strong since 2009.  

Major Achievements  

• 492 Parliamentarian Members including 150 women parliamentarians attended different workshops throughout the project implementation period including consultation workshop on draft provincial legislations, mechanism on parliamentary support service to MPs, oversight and public hearing of PPA, legislation making and amendment process, and reviewing and deliberating of drafted governor’s decree. Several areas were delivered which is good for knowledge learning for the PPA.   
• The Parliamentary SDG Handbook was translated, printed and disseminated to NA and PPA. The handbook aims to improve the member of parliament knowledge and skills to fulfil their role and mandate in support to the SDG implementation.  
• Female parliament members attended workshops were recorded regularly and the figures was provided in quarterly report. Female parliament members consist of 30% of the PPA 2nd legislature’s members. Good practice on keeping record of female parliamentarian is in place.   
• A comprehensive communication with development partners who support NA&PPA’s mandate through development programmes such as by GIZ, Helvetas, Lux Development, Oxfam, Westminster foundation and the Asia Foundation is proved to be an effective way toward aligning each partners lesson learn and challenges, achievements, and future plan to continue the support to NA&PPA development. 

Project Outcome

The project aims to: 

• To improve capacity of the NA and support PPAs to regularly engage people, in particular, the most disadvantaged and marginalized, and to exercise their core functions to lead to inclusive and sustainable development and a resilient society that contributes to sustaining peace and democracy.  
• Support the NA and PPAs in exercising their core law-making, budget approval and oversight functions effectively. This includes strengthening parliamentary representation and citizens’ participation, with a special focus on the disadvantaged and marginalized people. 
• Provide strategic support for enhancing the roles of the NA and PPAs in achieving the NSEDP objectives and SDGs as an important dimension of legislative bodies’ contribution to Lao PDR’s graduation from LDC status and national inclusive sustainable development. 

GESI (Gender Equality & Social Inclusion) component 

The 8th Legislature elected in March is composed of 149 members of whom 108 (73%) are first- time parliamentarians. The membership of the 8th Legislature has the highest ethnic diversity since 1975. Five members are independent. The number of women MPs has increased to 27.5% of the total number of MPs which is one of the largest percentages in Asia. 

The project includes a dedicated output on gender equality and women empowerment, in addition to being cross-cutting across all outputs. The gender output will aim at enhancing women’s participation in decision-making and capacitating members of representative bodies to better shape policy, legislation, planning and budgetary decisions to enable women’s economic and social empowerment, protect women’s rights and advance gender equality. 

Citizen engagement with legislative bodies and inclusion of disadvantaged and marginalized people will permeate all areas of project intervention and have a cross-cutting nature itself.  

Related Materials 

• Project document
• Project brief
• SDG Handbook in Lao Language 

Project details

• Status: Closing 
• Start Date: August 2018 
• End Date: December 2021 
• Project Office: Governance, UNDP Lao PDR  
• Focus Area: Governance 
• Collaborating Partners: National Assembly and People’s provincial assemblies 
• Total budget: 3,000,000