General

This 40-month Project aims to expand space for Vietnamese civil society to engage in policy processes through capacity building forseven multi-stakeholder coalitions and advocacy for improvements in laws and policies relating to cross-cutting issues that are critical to an enabling environment for civil society. Through various capacity building activities, the seven coalitions will have improved knowledge, skills, mutual value and cooperation on fundamental human rights, role of civil society in development, policy making process, advocacy and organizational improvement. They will deploy their improved capacity in collaboratively advocating for improving policies on freedom of association, rights to access to information and freedom of assembly, which will also further improve their capacity in claiming and practicing civil rights. The Project builds on and links to the results and experience of Oxfam in supporting civil society-led advocacy coalitions, which include participation of supportive government agencies, media, academic experts, and the private sector since 2013 under the Coalition Support Program. The co-applicants to this Project coordinate four such coalitions: the Coalition on Agriculture and Farmer#s Welfare, Forest Land Coalition, Mining Coalition, and the Clean Water Coalition.Three other civil society-led coalitions/ networks # the Budget Transparency Coalition, People#s Action for Health Equity, and the M.net migrant workers# rights network # will participate in capacity development activities of the Action as beneficiary groups. The Overall Objective of the Project is to contribute to increased space for Vietnamese civil society to engage in policy processes. This overall objective will be realized through a combination of policy advocacy, public education, and alliance building around three cross-cutting civic rights affecting civil society space: access to information, freedom of association, and freedom of assembly. These are basic conditions of an enabling environment for civil society participation in public life. The Action seizes opportunities in the National Assembly#s legislative agenda to raise awareness and seek to influence policy discussions surrounding the Law on Access to Information (passed in April 2016, entering into force in July 2018), proposed Law on Associations (to be considered by the NA in November 2016) and Law on Demonstrations (also known as Peaceful Assembly, to be considered in 2017), plus sub-law decrees and guiding circulars for each of theselaws. The Project has two Specific Objectives as follows: 1. Vietnamese civil society has increased capacity to influence policy decisions and implementation that affect their lives. 2. Policy processes on cross-cutting issues relating to civil society space are influenced by coalition members# policy recommendations. And four results as follows: Result 1: Annual plans for capacity development, cross-cutting research and advocacy among 7 multi-stakeholder coalitions are developed. Result 1 will deliver: # A political economy analysis of policy opportunities relating to Access to Information, Association, and Assembly, updated in Years 2 and 3 # Detailed schedules for capacity development and advocacy activities in Years 2 and 3 # Seven annuallyupdated advocacy strategies and plans of the seven coalitions Result 2: Coalition members have improved knowledge, skills, and mutual cooperation on cross-learning topics critical to increasing civil society space. Result 2 will make changes as follows: # 560 cumulative participants in capacity development activities (50% female) # 7 coalitions complete bi-annual Qualitative Assessment Scorecards to monitor their progress # 4 coalitions have improved capacity in advocacy, campaigning, negotiation andcommunication skills,and research as assessed through a partner capacity tool. Result 3: At least 2 advocacy campaigns on cross-cutting laws and policies relating to rights to association, information and assembly are conducted by Oxfam and the coalition partners. Specifically, the Project will produce the following changes: # 6 sets of recommendations on laws and sub-laws on access to information, association and assembly are produced and signed by Oxfam and coalition members and sent to relevant policy making bodies. # 500 state officials are reached by the coalitions# joint advocacy on access to information, association and assembly # At least 250 print, online, and broadcast media products about coalition-led advocacy over the period of the Action. Result 4: An assessment on the progress of changing civil society space in 2015#2018 is completed. Specific deliverables: # A published civil society space assessment (2000 copies in Vietnamese, 500 in English) # Assessment available online # Atleast 5 media articles about the assessment results # An academic journal article describing the findings # Findings presented at 3-5 workshops and conferences, organized by Oxfam as well as other international development partners. The Centre for Environment and Community Research (CECR), an NGO based in Hanoi that coordinate the Coalition for Clean Water. CECR initiated the Hanoi Lakes Club and now coordinates six local community monitoring groups (who aremembers of the coalition) around the country. Due to its community links and active advocacy on local water pollution issues, CECR has been invited by the Ministry of Justice to contribute to provincial workshops on human rights. With an interest in access to information and thepolicy-making process, CECR will host activities on these subjects and reach out to the coalition#s local members tobuild their capacity on policy influencing and monitoring.

General

Briefly, in one or two paragraphs, summarise Oxfam Novib's relationship to date with this organisation. Also, mention any other salient points for the reader that will not be in either in this Appraisal or in the Counterpart and Project Description. Kesan emerged from the youth group Karen Nature Conservation Group, which has its origins in Thai refugee camp. Its founders who practically grew up in the camps participated in an inspiring environmental training from Images Asia Environment Desk (a former Oxfam Novib partner) in 1997 leading to the creation of Kesan in 2001. While initially addressed at improving rural livelihood security and gaining recognition and respect for local and indigenous people#s rights in Karen State, recent ceasefire and peace process negotiations have pushed Kesan to focus more on policy advocacy, land registration and management, and building networks among key government and civil society actors. It is now in the process of establishing a presence in Yangon. Given this direction, Kesan will remain as a strategic partner to contribute to three key programs of Oxfam Novib: natural resource management in relation to conflict transformation, DRR and resilience and potentially humanitarian response given the potentialrepatriation of some 130,000 officially registered refugees along the Thai-Myanmar border who fled decades of ethnic conflict, back to Myanmar. Significant number of these refugees are Karens. As mentioned in the evaluation of Kesan (Dec 2013): #Kesan#s impressive work and strategic interventions have strengthened Karen communities to be able to withstand the ongoing threats to their security and livelihoods. KESAN has also equipped them with skills and resources to be better prepared for the new challenges that they and their children will be facing in the future.# However, the resultant budget cut as a consequence of country budget reduction will have a more significant impact on Kesan#s programming as Oxfam Novib is their biggest, single donor.Hopefully, with the approval of the regional Water Governance Program, Kesan is assured of more resources to drive this aspect of its program specifically the Salween River advocacy work.