[{"bbox": [97, 153, 1071, 205], "category": "Text", "text": "Identification of main stakeholders and corresponding institutional and/or organisational issues (mandates, potential roles, and capacities) to be covered by the action:"}, {"bbox": [97, 231, 1133, 392], "category": "Text", "text": "**Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA)** – The MoHA Cabinet Office has been mandated as the project's overall coordinating partner. More specifically, the Civil Society Division within MoHA's Department of Public Administration Development (DPAD) has the mandate to regulate civil society, which encompasses Non Profit Associations (NPAs) and Foundations. (Development partners tend to work with NPAs rather than Foundations.) The Division coordinates with the LCCC, individual CSOs and CSO contact points within other ministries and local authorities, which often have limited access to resources and correspondingly weak capacity."}, {"bbox": [97, 416, 1133, 576], "category": "Text", "text": "**Lao Civil Society Coordination Committee (LCCC)** and the associated Lao Civil Society Coordination Office (LCCO) – Formed in 2019, the LCCC facilitates coordination among Lao CSOs, with the state, and with development partners. The LCCC enjoys a trusted relationship with MoHA. Committee members comprise a mix of retired civil servants and younger people with no previous experience working inside government. As a relatively new organisation, the LCCC/LCCO would greatly benefit from targeted capacity building support to improve their coordination role."}, {"bbox": [97, 603, 1133, 815], "category": "Text", "text": "**Lao CSOs** including women's organisations and other organisations representing vulnerable groups – MoHA reports approximately 230 CSOs currently registered in Laos, of which approximately 190 are NPAs. They work almost exclusively in service delivery, assisting marginalised communities including women, youth, ethnic minorities, disabled people, and poor people access basic services. Vientiane Capital has the highest concentration of CSOs, but many implement projects at sub-national level. The more mature CSOs possess sound organisational skills and technical capacity, and would benefit from technical assistance to develop their research and communications skills for policy dialogue, whereas the less mature organisations would benefit from foundational organisational development to raise their general capacity."}, {"bbox": [97, 841, 1133, 921], "category": "Text", "text": "**International NGOs** – INGOs may be contracted by the implementing partner as service providers, for the provision of targeted organisational support and capacity building to Lao CSOs, as well as for the management of the small grants mechanism foreseen under Output 1."}, {"bbox": [97, 947, 1133, 1106], "category": "Text", "text": "**National Assembly (NA)** – The NA continues to develop in its role as an official space for Party-sanctioned critical reflection and a standard-setter in Laos' quest to become a rule of law state. The NA's ninth legislature of 164 members (158 LPRP members, 6 independents) was elected in March 2021 to serve a 5-year term. The proportion of women members decreased from 27.5% to 21.95% (below the global average), and the Women's Caucus was disbanded. The NA meets for two ordinary sessions per year to deliberate legislation. It also conducts citizen engagement activities, and occasional intersessions to inform its members on selected topics of interest."}, {"bbox": [97, 1132, 1133, 1262], "category": "Text", "text": "**Provincial Peoples' Assemblies (PPA)**– The PPAs are attempting to replicate the role of the NA at provincial level, with one PPA in each province. There are a total of 480 PPA members in Laos' 18 provinces. Approximately two thirds of PPA members are also NA members. PPAs tend to have lower institutional capacity than the NA, due to their more recent re-establishment in 2016, but more potential to engage with citizens and respond to their concerns."}, {"bbox": [97, 1291, 1133, 1399], "category": "Text", "text": "**Ministry of Justice (MoJ)** – The MoJ's Department of International Cooperation has the mandate to coordinate DP support to the justice sector, and other MoJ departments have responsibilities to monitor and support the operations of Legal Aid Offices nationwide. Staff capacity is generally weak, and there is scant budget for their monitoring and support role."}, {"bbox": [97, 1425, 1133, 1582], "category": "Text", "text": "**Selected Legal Aid Offices** at sub-national level (to be decided) – The MoJ has been establishing Legal Aid Offices at provincial and district level since 2019, most often with international assistance. Very little data is available about the staffing and actual operations of the offices, including staff skills and experience, size of caseloads, most common legal problems, methods of follow up, and success rates. CEGGA II is well-positioned to provide targeted quality support to Legal Aid Offices, in addition to the existing and complementary support from LuxDev and The Asia Foundation (TAF)."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1681, 1141, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 21"}]