- Schedule of the LIP Bimonthly meeting will be held on December 2009 in 13 target communes of Battambang, 14 Communes of Siem Reap and 13 communes of Banteay Meanchey province. The details schedule will be available by click here. The objective of the meeting is to Coordinate activities with numerous stakeholders during ECOSORN Project, to monitor and follow-up the activities of contractors, due to the plan Matrix and planning for the next two months and to strengthen LIP committee in order to response the progress report, to compile activities results which have done by contractors and to seek community and others participation.

The 8th bimonthly contractor meeting is held on 14th September 2009 at Khemara Battambang Hotel which is hosted by ECOSRN Project office in Battambang. The meeting is co-chair by Mr. Chan Saruth, national project director and Mr. Manfred Staab, ITA team leader.
The purpose of the meeting was held in order to provide an  update on the status of project, make decision regarding project accelerating, rev project activities, discuss some constraints and issues raised by the contractors and to find solutions and recommendations for further improvement.
There are 4-component is discussing on the progress and issue which is encounter during the implementation period. The component is listed below:

• SAL consist of 5 contractors of MLMUPC, MOEYS, CMAC, EWMI, and ABU which is implementing respective task but are related to safer access to land.
• CGR component are consist of contracts of ABU, CEFP, CADTIS, PRASAC, ICON, GAD/C which is implementing on training and business development as well as community empowerment.
• ALF component is implemented by PDA, ADDA and Vakakis-M4 which is implementing agriculture development.
• RIS component contracted for construction by VFI, KBPH, Thy Too, Diamond, Hong Chhay Heng, Kuoy Vouch and SBPH. This component is implement rural infrastructure such as sanitation, irrigation, and rural road.
  

Points provided by chairman to improve the project implementation are:

• Supply contracts are not allowed to delay, suppliers have to apply follow the commencement order issued by ECOSORN with quality and quantity.
• All ECOSORN contractors are encouraged to consider on IRDM strategy by group working.
• All ECOSORN Contractors are requested to provide list of beneficiaries with form formatted by M&E team.
• All ECOSORN Contractors are requested to prepare their output clearly and send to ECOSORN.
• The created CBOs which formed by ECOSORN and contractors should have been considered and strengthened.
• Each contractor has to provide information related to successful and unsuccessful CBOs they have formed to ECOSORN for EPTF and TWG visit for learning.
• The result of the eight contractor coordination meeting will be published in ECOSORN website 1-2 weeks after the meeting.

- Schedule of the LIP Bimonthly meeting will be held on August 2009 in 13 target communes of Battambang, 14 Communes of Siem Reap and 13 communes of Banteay Meanchey province. The details schedule will be available by click here.

- ECOSORN-GAD/C will conduct a training session on Gender Awareness for the staff of the project and the contractors on 05-06 May 2009. The training will be held in Build Bright University in Banteay Meanchey province. The details schedule is available by click here

- The schedue of Training on Gender Awareness for Battambang Provinvince on 28-29 April 2009 can be downloaded by click here

FROM GENDER AND PRINCIPLES TO ENFORCEMENT “GENDER INTEGRATION IN ECOSORN PROGRAM”

ECOSORN gives a good example of measures taken to turn principles into practice in an integrated rural development project.

The objective of the project relating to gender is to ensure not only that changes brought in by the project do not have any detrimental effects on the position and role of women, but that, on the contrary, specific measures are adopted to increase their active participation, on an equal footing, in the productive process and its results, and in social activities and decision making.

With regard to gender issues ECOSORN project evolves in a positive/ supportive political and institutional environment.While gender disparities in Cambodia remain a sensitive issue, it’s worth noticing that the Royal Government of Cambodia is fully committed to tackle the problem: the RGC’s rectangular Strategy (2004) recognizes “women are the backbone of our economy and society” and fully promotes gender mainstreaming.
In addition, the pre- requisites for effective gender integration into the project’s implementation are in place: Gender expertise was used in the formulation phase and gender equity is specifically mentioned in the project purpose, gender expertise is available among International Technical Assistance and Local Technical Assistance of the Project task Force, a specific budget is allocated for the Gender Action Plan and gender target indicators are defined.

The project developed, in line with existing guidelines from MAFF and EC, and in coordination with MoWA, and representatives from the civil society, its Gender Action Plan around the following key activities.

1. Gender mainstreaming policy in the project planning and activities to ensure women are equally involved in the design of intervention in their communities and have equal access to project activities.
2. Positive discrimination towards women to reduce the gap in opportunity with men, support women’s economic empowerment and reduce social burdens.
3. Gender awareness campaign and trainings and specific support to improve the understanding of men and women on their respective role in the society, and in development, to address specific issues met by women in the society.
4. Genders focus visibility to promote and maximise the impact of successful stories/ activities relating to gender issues and/ or women empowerment.
5. ECOSORN’s management is gender sensitive: ECOSORN is an equal opportunity employer.

The structure and tools to achieve the gender integration have been developed by GAD/C in consensus with ECOSORN Staff, Line Departments ‘representatives and representatives of the civil society. Most stakeholders of the project received tailor made trainings or awareness. And estimate results as per today show that the project is not far from its targets.