A Report on the Internal Assessment of the Social … · A Report on the Internal Assessment of the Social Service Mapping Tool Computerized Social Service Map, DamnakTrach village,

A Report on the

Internal Assessment of the Social Service Mapping Tool

Computerized Social Service Map, DamnakTrach village, DamboukRong commune, Kampong Speu province

@UNICEF/CBDA/2010/EkThinavuth

April 2011

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CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ABBREVIATIONS and ACRONYMS

1. INTRODUCTION

Background

Objectives and rationale of the Internal SSM Assessment

Methodologies

Framework of the report

2. FINDINGS FROM THE DISCUSSIONS AND QUESTIONNAIRES

2.1 Inputs from focus group discussions

2.1.1 Assessment of the process of the SSM

Procedures

Participation

Indicators

Suggestions/Recommendations

2.1.2 Assessment on the usefulness and effectiveness of the SSM

Addressing issues and developing future plans based on the SSM

Monitoring and assisting the vulnerable


2.1.3 Lessons learnedfrom the pilot implementation of the SSM for various stakeholders

Advantages

Disadvantages


2.2 Inputs from users

Usefulness and relevance of the SSM


2.3 Inputs from supporters

SSM training workshops for supporters and CC/CCWC

Support provided to CC/CCWC


3. RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 Recommendations based on the interviews, questionnaires and discussions

3.2 Recommendations from meetings with UNICEF sections and other development partners

4. CONCLUSION

5. ANNEXES

Questionnaire

List of participants from focus group discussions, list of interviewed users and supporters

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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

CC commune council

CCWC commune committees for women and children

CDB commune database

CIP community investment plan

CWCFP commune women and children focal point

DFP district focal point

MoI Ministry of Interior

P/DFT provincial/district facilitation teams

PFP provincial focal point

PLAU provincial local administration unit

SSM social service mapping

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

With support from the Ministry of Interior (MoI), commune committees for women and children

(CCWCs) were started in 2004in order to better identify critical needs of women and children in

Cambodia. In order for communes to put more emphasis on social services rather than on

infrastructure, UNICEF initiated a pilot participatory mapping tool, Social Service Mapping

(SSM) for CCWCs in 2009. The SSM is a mapping exercise conducted at the village level and led

by commune councils (CC)/CCWCs. The maps attempt to identify the most vulnerable families

in the commune, especially women and children, with indicators focusing on social sectors. So

far, the SSM exercise has been implemented in 117 villagesin 20communes in six UNICEFtarget

provinces.

In order to assess the effectiveness and quality of the SSM implementation, the Seth

KomaProgramme conducted an internal assessment of the tool in the second half of 2010. In

August and September, the assessment team, composed of MoIstaff, provincial- and district-level

focal points (P/DFPs), members of the Project to Support Democratic Development through

Decentralization and Deconcentrationand UNICEF Seth Koma staff visited villages in 11 selected

communes in the six UNICEFtarget provinces1. This report is based on data collected through

focus group discussions andkey informant interviews with supporters, users and beneficiaries of

the SSM. The assessment procedures were conducted in a participatory manner so as to gain first-

hand insight from all the stakeholders.

Findings from focus group discussions

Despite the fact that the participatory approach was a new process for many of those who

developed the maps, pilot communes followed most of the essential steps found in the guidelines.

On the other hand, there were some steps that were skipped by most of the communes, such as

note-taking and greeting and introducing. The importance and meaning of the steps should be

stressed in refresher training. During the exercise processes, level and quality of participation

exhibited both positive aspects andsome limitations that should be overcome for future

implementation. For instance, sample communes reported high female attendance rates at the

meetings, with some CC/CCWC members and village leaders commenting that women were

actively sharing their opinions related to social issues. While this good practice should be

maintained, more attention should also be paid to the participation of young people and health

staff, both of which were less well represented in many communes. It is also important that all

villages record distribution of participants to ensure variousgroups are represented. Discussion

groups attempted to generate feedback on the 13 indicators and found that all sample communes

felt that all or most of the 13 indicators were relevant to real issues they faced. However, there is

a need to further discuss the indicators so that the list is as socially and culturally sensitive, clear

and relevant as possible.

Regardingthe usefulness and effectiveness of the SSM, all sample communes except Kampong

Thom claimed that they had used the SSM information to develop community investment plans

(CIPs)in 2010. Also, regular updates of the maps and indicators seemed to help monitor progress

and changes of vulnerable families‟ situations. Although these findings demonstratethe SSMs

applicability, some UNICEF staff observed that there were not yet sufficient links between the

SSM and CIPs; instead, the information was used for ad hoc support. To strengthen the link, it

might be helpful for CC/CCWCs to betrained to analyse root causes so as to reflect them in

longer-term planning.

Focus group discussions revealed that there were both overall advantages and disadvantages of

the SSM. Advantages included promoting transparency, addressing equity in access to social

1 See Annex 3 for a list

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services, facilitating the monitoring of vulnerable families, shifting attention from infrastructure

to social sectors, motivating CC/CCWCs to work in the field more frequently and promoting

confidence among village and commune leaders. In contrast, the few disadvantages that emerged

included the underrepresentation of certain social groups, misunderstandings in objectives and

purposes of the SSM exercise, limited capacities of key actors and difficulties in physically

maintaining the maps. These challenges need to and can be addressed via harmonization among

different stakeholders, including national and sub-national level authorities, UNICEF and other

development partners.

Findings from user interviews

Interviews with users revealed that even though the SSM was seen as useful in gathering

information and identifyingvulnerable families for interventions, certain indicators were viewed

as irrelevant to the users‟ activities. The interviews also revealed thatinformation about the SSM

has not yet been well disseminated, and many potential users do not know that the maps exist or

are not convinced of their usefulness. Thus, it will be important to seek out opportunities where

CC/CCWCs can introduce and present the importance and usefulness of the SSM at different

levels.

Findings from supporter interviews

The assessment interview with supporters focused on training at two different levels: training

received and training provided for CC/CCWCs. Subjects participating in this interview in most of

the sample provinces feltthat the training was somewhat difficult to understand and follow due to

insufficient time, trainers proceeding too quickly, and used complex methods and unfamiliar

concepts that needed more explanation. Theinterviews also showed that conducting the

CC/CCWC trainingswas not easy due to lack of CC/CCWC participation, unclearly defined roles

of district and provincial levels and a lack of capacity to understand the new concepts. However,

it has to be taken into account that at the time of the sessions, no proper, systematic training

procedures were in place. Despite this difficult situation, the SSM exercise was initiated and maps

were completed at the village level. In conclusion, the pilot communes and provinces should

receive refresher trainings and all manuals and guidelines should be reviewed and revised to ease

their implementation.

These important findings, challenges and recommendations/suggestionswill be presented in

further detail in this report, along with additional specific points. This internal SSM assessment

report aims to make recommendations to inform future strategic decisions of the UNICEF

country programme (2011-2015).

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1. INTRODUCTION

Background

As much as the CCshave contributed to local-level development by encouraging dialogue

between citizens and government (primarily in planning and budgeting infrastructure projects),

more needs to be done to address social issues. As a response, in 2007MoIbegan supporting

establishment of the CCWCs, entities that wereinitiated in order to better identify critical needs of

women and children.

In order for communes to put more emphasis on social services rather than infrastructure,

UNICEF piloted a participatory mapping tool, called the SSM for CCWCs. The SSM was to be

drawn at the village level to identifyvillage resources such as roads, schools, wells, toilets,

hospitals, community rice banks, ponds and pagodas, as well as a numbered gridof the village‟s

homes. Each house on the map is marked with a series of numbered indicators (1 to 13) that

reflects the degree to which a household lacks access to social services and which could result

insocial issues (for example, youth drug use and gang involvement could cause a young person

todropout of school). These 13 indicators were carefully selected by each relevant UNICEF

section with special attention tovulnerable children. Development of the maps is supported and

led by commune-level members, while trainings for commune-level staff are conducted by

provincial-level members.

Social Service Map of Prey Romdoul village, Prasot commune, SvayRieng province @UNICEF/CBDA/2010/You Socheat

This tool aims to help CCWCs identify families with limited access to social services so that CCs

canefficiently develop plans and budgets in a participatory and transparent manner. A

consultancy was carried out in August/September 2009 to provide practical support to the P/DFPs

and assist the CCWCs in developing and using the maps in regular meetings. This initiative also

attempted to operationalize one of UNICEF‟s priorities with regards to equity by providing

support and services to vulnerable and unreached families.

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The SSM initiative began with pilot mapping in 20 communes across six target provinces (Prey

Veng, Kampong Thom, Kampong Speu, OddarMeanchey, Stung Treng and SvayRieng). There

are 177 villages in these communes, but it was suggested that the pilot would initially cover about

30 to 40 per cent of villages per province in 2009 to ensure quality implementation, covering the

remaining villages in 2010. Consequently, maps were drawn in all villages between November

2009 and May 2010. Guidance materials, including the Trainers Guide for District and

Provincial Focal Points for Conducting Social Service Mapping to be used in CCWC training

and theHip Pocket Guide for CCWCs, were developed.

In order to assess the tool‟s effectiveness and quality, the Seth KomaProgramme conducted an

internal assessment during the second half of 2010. In August and September, a team composed

of four representatives from MoI, fourP/DFP members, two members of the Project to Support

Democratic Development through Decentralization and Deconcentrationand five UNICEF Seth

Koma staff visited villages in 11 selected communes in the six UNICEFtarget provinces. The

assessment is based on 11 focusgroup discussions and interviews with key actors: 6 with

supporters, 6 with users and 26 with beneficiaries.

The assessment focuses on the process and impact of the SSM. In this report, data mainly

collected during the focus groups and interviews with supporters and users will be analysed and

used. Data collected during interviews with beneficiaries will be recorded and analysed through

case studies by a consultant. The main purpose of this report is not to evaluate and document the

final outcomes of the use of the tool, but rather to make recommendations to informfuture

strategic decisions of the country programme (2011-2015).

Objectives and rationale of the internal SSM assessment

The objectives of the internal SSM assessment are to learn from the process and quality of SSM

implementation as well as to measure effectiveness and evaluate the tool‟s usefulness in order to

inform future strategic decisions.

To strengthen the CCWC focus on the needs and universal rights of women and children, the

committees must better identify families that do not have sufficient access to social services. The

SSM has the potential to improve the targeting and identifying of those most in need. This

internal assessment will illustrate lessons learned in the pilot and raise recommendations to

further improve the quality of the tool and broadenits effectiveness and practicality. As the

quality and applicability improve, the model can be expanded to other villages.

While the questionnaires and discussion questions were carefully developed in consultation with

the UNICEF M&E and Child Protection sections and MoI‟Seth Koma team, there are some

reservations/limitations to note: 1. Kampong SpeuProvince carried out their mapping exercise

before the guidelines were prepared, which accounts forTang Krouch and DamboukRoung

communes not following certain steps; and 2. Some communes completed the assessment long

after they had drawn their maps, making it difficult for them to recall the procedures or elements

of the exercise.

Methodologies

This report is based on data collected through focus group discussions and interviews with key

supporters, users and beneficiaries of the SSM. All the assessment procedures were conducted in

a participatory manner so as to gain first-hand insight from all the stakeholders.

1. Focus group discussions with CCWC members were organized in August 2010. The

participants included commune chiefs, commune seconddeputy chiefs, commune women and

children focal points (CWCFP), clerks, teachers, health centre staff, commune police, village

chiefs, village vice-chiefs and village assistants. Discussions soughtto assess the process of

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developing the SSM, including the level and quality of participation and the usefulness and

effectiveness of the SSM in addressing social issues.

Focus Group Discussion in Prosot Commune, SvayRieng@UNICEF/CBDA/2010/YouSocheat

2. Interviews were conducted with key supporters, users and beneficiaries on an individual basis.

The first interviewed group, supporters, consisted of provincial local administration unit

(PLAU) officers, P/DFPs and Provincial/District Facilitation Teams (P/DFTs) who were in

charge of training CC/CCWCs and supporting the implementation process. The main focus of

the interviews was therefore on the SSM training of trainers and the subsequent training

workshops conducted for CC/CCWCs.The second group, the users, included sub-national

authorities, local service providers and NGO representatives who used the SSM. During the

interview, they were asked how they used the SSM and for their opinions on the tool in terms

of usefulness for other interventions. Lastly, individual interviews with beneficiaries were held

to assess their level of participation in the SSM development process and its effectiveness in

identifying and reaching vulnerable families.

The assessment was done in 11 communes, or 55 per cent of the 20 pilot communes in the six

UNICEF target provinces. Focus discussion groups with CCWCs were carried out in all 11

communes. Interviews with supporters were done in each of the six provinces, whileinterviews

with user groups were carried out in Prey Veng, SvayRieng, Kampong Speu and Stung

Trengprovinces (not in OddarMeancheyand Kampong Thom). Names of the communes, villages,

line departments and NGOs that participated in the discussions and interviews are listed in Annex

6.

To complement the collected data, a number of field visits were conducted to clarify key concerns

emanating from the findings. Visits were made to Kampong Speu, Prey Veng and

SvayRiengprovinces in November and December 2010. During the Kampong Speuvisit, a

meeting in KhsemKhsam commune was organized, where participants included a commune

chief, commune clerk, CWCFP, CC members, a PFP and a DFP. The meeting was followed by a

short question-and-answer session with two PFP members (one male and one female). A

discussion was also held between UNICEF provincial staff and the PFPs. During visits to SpirKor

and BeungPreah communes in Prey Veng, CC/CCWCs, commune chiefs, commune clerks,

village chiefs and other key sources joined discussions as necessary. Likewise, in SvayRieng,

Prasout and Sambor communes, discussions were held with key sources, including CC/CCWCs,

commune chiefs, deputy commune chiefs and commune clerks.

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In addition, a few meetings and consultations were held between UNICEF staff in Seth Koma,

Child Protection and HIV/AIDS sections to include practical recommendations for future

interventions.

Framework

This introductory section will be followed by sections that address findings, recommendations

and conclusions. The section on findingsis divided into three parts:

1) Inputs from focus group discussions

2) Inputs from users

3) Inputs from supporters

In each part, findings from the assessment process will be illustrated, highlighting some of the

crucial elements of the SSM preparation and usage.This section attempts to specifically examine

whether the tool has been effectively and efficiently implemented from the preparation phase to

the actual map drawing, as well as whether the SSM successfully fulfilled its objectives to better

identify target families and to address the issues.

The recommendations section will be divided into suggestions drawn from the findings (including

feedback reports by interviewers) and from inputs provided during additional discussions and

meetings with UNICEF programme sections, government counterparts and other development

partners. Lastly, the report will summarize the key points and provide conclusions.

2. FINDINGS FROM THE DISCUSSIONS AND QUESTIONNAIRES 2.1 Inputs from focus group discussions

2.1.1 Assessment of the process

Procedures

The SSM development process had two major steps: 1) CC/CCWCs preparation prior to a

village-level meeting and SSM drawing and 2) development of the SSM in a participatory manner

that involved multiple village representatives. Each step involves a number of procedures, though

it appears that fewcommunes followed all of them. There are a number of possible explanations

for this: first, discussion participants were not directly asked if they followed particular steps, but

rather the question was presented as an open one. Thus, even though they might have carried out

certain procedures, they might have simply not mentioned them. For example, the data shows that

only 3 of 11 communes followed the step to “Prepare objectives of drawing the map on a

flipchart.” This could be attributedto the fact that this particular step was not explicitly conducted

as a separate step.

Secondly, some communes had already started preparing their map before the guidelines were

distributed, so they did not have clear guidance on ways toorganize the preparation. Also, since

these communes prepared their map more than one year before the assessment, it is possiblethat

respondents could no longer recall all the specifics of the methodology used. In contrast, all

communes except one organized a pre-meeting to divide and share responsibility. It is not clear

what was discussed in the pre-meetings, but they are important inestablishing a consensus on who

should be included in drawing the map in order to produce the best outcome. While these points

could be indicated on the questionnaires, each province did manage to organize trainings and

SSM exercises despite the fact that neither clear guidelines nor a manual were available at

thetime.All communes in the pilot provinces also managed to conduct the SSM exercise for most

of their villages.

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SSM field practice of a Training workshop inTrabekKeut village, Angkor Tret commune, Prey Veng province

@UNICEF/CBDA/2009/Mark Munoz

In step two, developing the SSM at the village level, the first procedure: “Greet and introduce

participants,” was skipped by six communes. This might be accounted for by the fact that the

villagers were already well acquainted with each other and there was no need for a formal

introduction. Data shows that note-taking was completed in only 1 of 11 communes, even though

commune members themselves were in charge of this task. When this issue was raised during the

field visit to Kampong Speu in November, the UNICEFprovincial staff explained that the

participants understood that the final objective of the discussion was to draw a map, and they did

not think recording the process was important. In SvayRieng, UNICEF provincial staff observed

that commune members did not take notes because map drawing meetings were not seen as

formal meetings but rather as informal fieldwork. Another reason might be the existence of an

internalized culture in which communes operate on an ad hoc basis. This is likely to be the case

for other communes as well.

According to the questionnaires, three communes raised sensitive issues during discussions,

which included domestic violence, drug use and youth gangs. While some sensitive issues remain

taboo subjects that cannot be easily discussed, various interventions by NGOs, international

organizations and/or communes to address these issues seem to havepositively influenced

people‟s perceptions. For example, the visited commune in Kampong Speureported that in the

first SSM exercise, there were no cases of drug use, but in the second round, three cases of drug

use by youth were recorded. The increase in the number of cases was attributed to increased

involvement by the police in investigating and reporting, and reflects improvement in cooperation

and systematic reporting by relevant actors. The new cases do not necessarily indicate a

worsening situation. Still, UNICEF staff members observed that some families had to be

convinced to allow their sensitive issues to be reflected on the maps, for fear of stigmatizationin

the community. While some CC/CCWCs and commune chiefs seemed to prioritize exposure of

all information on the maps, sensitivity to privacy issues has to be reconsidered. This is a

challenging aspect for UNICEF due to the fact that sensitivity is subjective, and certain issues

might seem to be more taboo to villagers than others. A consensus among the UNICEF team in

needed on this issue.

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While more than half the communes said that vulnerable families could be identified in smaller,

separate meetings, only two communes reported that the privacy of vulnerable families was

protected. This contradictory data could indicate that although vulnerable families might be more

inclined to discuss their situations in private meetings, CC/CCWC members engaged in drawing

maps were not as concerned about maintaining confidentiality. While privacymight be a foreign

concept in Cambodian villages,it is important to ensure that vulnerable families are not put into

situations where their issues are openly discussed. During field visits, it was observed that most

communes conducted individual home visits to help families more comfortably discuss their

situation. In addition to holding separate meetings and individual home visits, one effective way

of identifying vulnerable families appears to be asking neighbours and relatives for information.

This provides interviewers with access to information that target families may be ashamed to

mention on their own.

The pilot SSM is a recent initiative, and among officials from provincial and district Local

Administration Unit and CC/CCWC, there remains a lack of understanding of its overall purpose

and consensus about its process. Having looked at procedures related to the SSM tool, the next

section examines the level and quality of participation in the SSM exercise.

Participation

Most communes encouraged village chiefs, the elderly, teachers and health centre staff to

participate in the drawing process; in 7 of 11 communes, villagers took part in the mapping.

However, young people were not included in the exercise in 8of 11 communes. UNICEF

provincial staff in Kampong Speu also mentioned that in general, young people did not show

interest in attending meetings.The underrepresentationcouldindicate that these meetings do not

actively encourage youth participation, or that there is a lack of organized youth groups, making

it difficult for CC/CCWCs and village leaders to identify youth candidates. In 7 of 11communes,

ID poor recipient families participated in this exercise.However, the exact distribution of

participants is not clear because the communes did not record specificnumbers.

Keyinformation sourcesin the SSM development/map drawing included village chiefs/deputies,

chief/assistants, elderly people, schoolmaster/teachers and community members/villagers

considered to be most “familiar with the situations of the people in villages.” In comparison,

youth representatives and health centre staff were absent in four and five communes, respectively.

The low level of youth participation could reflect an aspect of Cambodian society described in the

CCWC Capacity Report (p.14): “an education system that discourages questioning reinforces

attachment to hierarchy and results in a reluctance to openly oppose, disagree with or even

question those who have power and a reticence to try out new ways of learning.” On the other

hand, reasons for absence of health centre staff might be attributed to time constraints, given the

fact that one health centre covers two villages. It could also be accounted for by a lack of

coordination, as it is not clear whether health staff were properly informed about the purpose of

the SSM exercise.

Furthermore, attendance does not necessarily mean active participation. In a few cases,

participants reported a fear of speaking up in meetings due to hierarchy. For example, feedback

from SvayRieng noted, “The village chiefs were afraid of commune chiefs.” Also, a provincial

UNICEF staff member in Kampong Speusaidthat when he is present, some people appear

reluctant to express their ideas and thoughts.

Regarding female participation, 7of 11communes had more than 50 per cent female participants

in the meetings. Though this ratio is impressive, it is even more important to ensure that women

actively take part in preparing and drawing the maps. In Kampong Speu and SvayRieng, female

PFP, CWCFP and CC members described how women were very active in presenting their views

on household issues in the context of the indicators. They also said that if needed, they would

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visit individual households in order to directly talk to women for additional information when

husbands were not present. This aspect should be more closely monitored and followed-up on to

ensure women‟s ideas are well represented in the SSM.

SSM field practice of a Training workshop inTrabekKeut village, Angkor Tret commune,

PreyVengprovince @UNICEF/CBDA/2009/Mark Munoz

In this assessment, it has also been noted thatthe number of participants in most communes

declined when the maps were updated. All seven communes that updated village maps

includedparticipants such as CCWC members, CC members, commune clerks, commune chiefs

and commune deputy chiefs, suggesting that the update process was most likely initiated at the

commune level rather than by villagers.

As already discussed, the level and quality of participation is affected by gender and traditional

cultural norms. The SSM was initially designed to encourage women and young people to

participate, and the introduction of new norms of active participation need to be carefully taken

into consideration.

The next section will discuss the 13 indicators used in the SSM. The focus group discussions

encouraged participants to share insights about the indicators‟usefulness and relevance.

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Indicators

13 SSM Indicators

1. Household whose children (under one year old) have NOT

had birth registrations yet.

2. Household whose one-year-old children have NOT had

seven vaccinations.

3. Household with pregnant women who have NOT accessed

health services.

4. Household whose three- to five-year-old children have

NOT attended preschool.

5. Household whose 6- to 11-year-old children have NOT

attended school or have dropped out of school.

6. Household that does NOT have access to clean water.

7. Household that does NOT have a latrine.

8. Household that has orphans or abandoned children.

9. Household that has children living with chronically ill

parents or caregivers.

10. Household that has children with disabilities.

11. Household with children who have been exposed to and/or

directly impacted by violence or abuse (migration, rape,

child labour).

12. Household that has poor ID cards.

13. Household that has youth involved in gang and/or drug-

related activity.

All communes agreed that the 13 indicators are all “relevant/associated with the real issues in the

village.” These indicators do not just spell out the visible issues, but also highlight and bring

attention to sensitive issues such as domestic violence or drug use.

However, a few communes suggested indicator 11 (household with children who have been

exposed to and/or directly impacted by violence or abuse [migration, rape, child labour]) should

be divided into more specific indicators because each of the three issues is distinctive. Though the

likelihood of an individual becoming a victim of one or more of those issues is not small, these

suggestions are worth considering since the various issues are not necessarily interrelated. For

example, it was evident in the individual interviews that some children work as construction

workers or other types of labourers. One commune pointed out that indicator 13 (household that

has youth involved in gang and/or drug-related activity) also should be separated into two

indicators, since youth problemsare more complex than suggesting that being in a gang also

means being a drug user. Another commune suggested that indicator 7 (household that does not

have a latrine) should specify a dry latrine versus a pour-flush latrine. This suggestion is however

not a top priority, because either type of latrine can be very functional depending on the

surrounding environment.

One commune had already added two extra indicators while drawing the SSM map: “single

parent-headed family with children under five years old” and “households with 12- to 17- year-

old children dropping out of lower secondary school.” The suggestion raises significant points.

As can be seen from the individual interviews, single parents are prevalent in rural areas of

Cambodia due to domestic violence, husbands‟ internal migration for employment and 30 years

of civil turmoil in the past. It has been said that widows are one of the most economically

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vulnerable groups in society2. They mostly live in rural areas and face a lifetime of economic

challenges, a situation that would most likely also apply tosingle parents whose husbands have

left for various reasons. Regarding the second indicator, it is important to note that enrolment

ratios in primary and secondary show an acute decline from 94.8 per cent to 31.9 per cent (lower

secondary) (EMIS), demonstrating that despite the fact that primary-level attendancehas

improved significantly, the transition from primary to secondary school remains an important

challenge. The new country programme prioritizes this issue.

Most communes also suggested the addition of the following indicators:

Construction materials used for houses

Household that has not had enough to eat for the past six months

Household headed by a single parent (with many children)

Household with elderly people living alone

The first three indicate economic situations that greatly affect children‟s health, schooling or

security. The last one suggests that in addition to women and children, elderly people are also a

vulnerable group that should be monitored.

There is also a concern about the terminology and wording in indicator 9, “household that

haschildren living with chronically ill parents or caregivers.” There seems to be a lack

ofunderstanding of the meaning of“chronic illness”among CC/CCWCs. A UNICEF staff member

onthe assessment team observed that “households with chronically ill caregivers/parents (were)

rather identified as households with parents/caregivers who (were) HIV positive or have AIDS.”

These points illustrate the key findings from interviews and focus groups, brief field visits to

provinces and discussions with UNICEF provincial staff, PFPs, CCWCs and other key actors.

Some of the suggestions and recommendations raisedin terms of process, participation and SSM

indicators will be introduced in future training package and resource materials.


Based on these observations, the following suggestions/recommendations are being put forth to

improve quality of the overall exercise.

CC/CCWCs should put more effort into making the pre-meetings (step 1) more inclusive

and organized. Using the village database, they should select meeting participants that

represent the community well. For example, in case a health chief is not a member of the

CCWC, he/she should be invited to the pre-meetings. These meetings can also serve as an

effective platform to select participants for step 2.

Regardingstep 2, the two processes that were most often left out--“greet and introduce

participants” and “note-taking” should be more strongly emphasized. First, though

participants might already know one another, a formal introduction and greeting session

could serve to encourage everyone‟s active participation. Making each participant

speaking front of everyone else at the onset of discussions would help make each person

more comfortable and confident to share their views during the meeting. This

introduction session should also be combined with a presentation of the map-drawing

objectives to ensurethey are considered early on.Facilitators should ensure that everyone

contributes to the meeting and understands the basic purpose of the mapping exercise.

2 Lee, Susan H., The Long-Term Effects of War on Rural Cambodian Widows, p. 1

PROCESS

15

As instructed in the Hip Pocket Guide, communes and villages should ensure that they

assign a commune member as a note-taker/recorder who records the „soft information.‟ It

is important for the recorder “to remain aware and listen at all times in order to note the

„soft‟ information or comments,” for “the notes from the recorder will be very

important”during later analysis of the SSM. They should take also notes on processes

carried out during SSM development and how they were organized. These notes will

allow villagers and commune members to refer back to their procedures when updating

the tool. The importance of note-taking needs tobe re-emphasized in refresher trainings or

provincial meetings and workshops.

To identify and follow-up with vulnerable families, separate meetings/visits should be

encouraged if possible to provide families‟ with a comfortable environment that allows

them to speak openly. Individual interviews revealed that vulnerable people like single

parents are more likely to miss information about the SSM, so the separate

meetings/visits would help keep them informed while allowing communes and villages to

more accurately assess individuals‟ situations. In order to avoid stigmatization for

families facing sensitive issues, CCWCs should collaborate with specialized institutions

and experts in line departments or provincial/district social workers. UNICEFshould also

ensure that training is conducted so as to sensitize CC/CCWCs about stigma and

confidentiality norms. It would be helpful if the training included concrete examples of

sensitive information being raised so that participants can appropriately face these

situations.This kind of training and information should also be provided to commune and

village leaders. It is important thattheselead actors understand that information cannot be

forcibly extracted from people.

In summary, the CCs/CCWCs need to be aware of the importance of each process, for they were

designedto serve certain purposes that will add value to the map quality and effectiveness. Also, a

more systematic mechanism for conducting the exercise and building consensus among key

actors should be put into place.

Numbers of participants from various social/age/professional groups should be

recordedso that underrepresentation among specific groups can be identified. Since

certain sourceslike young people or health centre staff tend to be underrepresented in the

drawing process, it might be a good idea for these groups to organize their own

discussions before the village meetings/discussions. In that way, they could meet on their

own time and increase the chance fortheir views to be heard. One representative could be

chosen from each group to participate in the village-wide meetings to share the issues

discussed during the group session. This would prevent the villages and communes from

having too many participants while still reflecting the ideas of various people. These

separate discussions would also allow people to talk more openly without of the fear of

socially and occupationally higher-ranking villagers or commune staff. It is also

important to work with organizedyouth groups rather than attempting to randomly

identify young people for participation. Because youth groups do not exist in every

village, one suggestion is to reach out to schools andmeet with school associations.

Finally, though selection criteria for the SSM meetings do not include ID-poor recipient

families, it is encouraging to see these families participating in the exercise as they are

likely to be beneficiaries and would likely have great insight. This also helps update the

status of ID holders, which are officially updated only biannually. Their inclusion should

be stated in the guidelines.

PARTICIPATION

16

Two of the existing indicators, 11 and 13, should be reviewed and adjusted to make them

more specific and sensitized. Indicator 11 attempts to cover a few different issues

butshould be broken down or revised. Separating out the individual issues might,

however, raise other concerns. Firstly, an indicator about “rape” would be too sensitive to

be identified on the maps, and issues like this need different approaches requiring

expertise. Secondly, “child labour” would be too broad and requires a clearer definition.

Due to the sensitivity of the issues covered by this indicator, UNICEF needs to review it

carefully before making any changes. Indicator 13 on drug use and gangs should either be

divided in two or removed from the list.

As to the four additional indicators suggested, while theyraise important issues, allare

alsoincluded in either the CDB (commune database) or the ID-poor methodology. The

first one is included under “house situations” in the ID-poor and under “housing” in the

CDB. The second is partially represented in ID-poor families, as question 8asks, “During

the last 12 months, did your household owe rice or borrow rice from other people?” The

third can be also addressedbyboth sources. The ID-poorrecords heads of families

whilethe CDB notesthe number of “female-headed families.” The CDBalso attempts to

shed light on elderlypeople as seen in the indicator, “number of elderly persons without

guardian.” However, one concern in relying on thisdata is that data related to ID-poor

families is updated only once every two years, while theCDBis updated once a year.

Nevertheless, if the various data sources are fully taken in account, there should be

sufficient indicators to cover a wide range of social and economic aspects. Communes

should closely consult with line departments to work as one.

Indicators do not necessarily have to be identicalacross communes or provinces. Different

regions willhave different issues and concerns. For example, two communes in

SvayRiengboth mentioned that their village chiefs are well aware of and knowledgeable

about border issues. This illustrates the fact that border provinces will have their own

unique issues.The list of indicators could therefore be flexible and, as one commune did,

communes and villages should be encouraged to add indicators as needed. However, they

should be careful not to add new indicators without proper consideration to avoid

overcomplicatinglists. Villages and communes should keep three things in mind:1.Be

clear about who would follow-up and monitor progress and changes for additional

indicators; 2.Check other data sources to avoid duplication of indicators; and 3.Ensure

that additional indicators are related to social sectors and are backed by reasonable

rationale.

All indicators should be properly worded and translated into Khmeras accurately as

possible. In case of more technical terminology – words like “chronic illness” – UNICEF

should provide clear definitions. Time can be taken during training to clearly explain the

terms used to key SSM participants.

2.1.2 Assessment on usefulness and effectiveness of the SSM

Addressing issues and developing future plans based on the SSM

Although the maps aloneare not enough to address the various social issues, data from focus

group discussions implies that communes and villages use the maps as an initiative to identify

targets and address social issues.

INDICATOR

SS

17

All 11communes, except one in Kampong Speu,said that the CC/CCWCs used the SSM to

identify priorities in order to address the issues. Onecommune provided specific numbers of

prioritized households in 2009 and 2010, noting that 23 households prioritized in 2009 and 2010

received direct assistance whilesome 13 priority households in 2010 had not yet received support.

This informationshows that this commune targets new households every quarter to support the

vulnerable. The maps seem to help the communerespond to the needs of target families promptly

when sufficient resources were available.The commune‟s experience also reveals that support is

ad hoc and limited to a one-time provision of aid. Another example of how the map is used to

address an issue can beseen in Kampong Speu, where a village used it to identify families that are

affected by domestic violence. Once identified, the police or CCs made sure the husbands (who

committed violence) attended trainings organized by UNDP (see Box 1).

BOX 1: Benefit of SSM to other programme intervention

The CC/CCWCs in all 11communes except Kampong Thom used the SSM information to

prepare their community investment plans (CIP) in 2010. Based on the map, communes identified

some issues to include in the CIP. Among the many concernsidentified, violence, hygiene and

sanitation, and school drop-outs appeared in a number of communes. One commune described

how theissues that arose fromthe maps were brought to CCWC monthly meetings in order to find

solutions to address them.Ifthe issues were found to be too difficult to solve due to technical and

financial constraints, they were included in the CIP.For example, commune chiefs in a few

communes visited mentioned that lack of latrines is a challenging issue to solve on their own

because building such facilities requires technical skills and money to buy the proper materials.

While the communes‟ attempt to utilize the SSM is encouraging, UNICEF staff observed that

links between the SSM and the CIP were not systematic nor clear enough, resulting in a lack of

long-termplanning.

The SSM can, however,help planning at both the village and commune levels. Villages tend to

identify and prioritize households that are affected by a larger number of the 13 indicators so that

they can attempt toaddress issues according to the needs of each family. At the commune level,

on the other hand, specific indicators that affect more households than others are typically singled

out. Those indicators can then be incorporated into the CIP as an overall strategy.

Commune chiefs in two communes in Prey Veng explained that when they identified priority

issues inthe SSM, they contactedNGOs that had been operating in their communes for support.

They mentioned that the maps made it easier to share their concerns and present the data. This

example illustrates howthe SSM also helped to build confidence and stronger ownership among

communes and village leaders.

Overall, it can be observed that while communes and villages are willing to use the maps and are

starting to identify issues related to social services, they stillface challenges when trying to

incorporate the SSM information into long-term planning.

In the visited commune in Kampong Speu, the SSM data complemented and strengthened

strategies and activities launched by donors and/or government to assist the vulnerable.

For example, UNDP organizes a monthly training on domestic violence in some villages,

and the villages try to make sure that those people who have been identified as victims or

violators on the maps participate in them. As a result, the commune chief said that cases

of domestic violence seemed to have decreased and that the situation was improving.

18

Monitoring and assisting the vulnerable

The maps do not only identify social issues and target families, but also aim to help monitor

progress and changes as stated in step 5 of the Hip Pocket Guide for CCWCs. In the focus group

discussions, four communes commented that mapping enabled them to monitor progress and see

changes.Generally, these communes had already updated the maps at least once. This data shows

that the maps can be useful in monitoring identified targets over time when they are adequately

and periodically updated.

Though the SSM is a recent initiative, communes seem to have an idea as to how frequently the

maps should be updated in order for them to efficiently capture changes and be of the utmost use.

To date, seven communes have updated the SSM at least once. The frequency differed between

communes, but in four communes, updates were completed every six months. Of these, three

communes said that six-month updates were adequate. Six communes in total, including those

that had not updated the SSM, said that updates every half-yearshould be ideal. Two PFPs in

Kampong Speu interviewed during an additional field visit also agreed that every six months is

the ideal frequency. However, they also expressed concern about possible material, financial and

time constraints for the villages to maintain this schedule. In contrast, in Prey Veng, it has been

agreed to update the map every quarter. Similarly, in SvayRieng, communes were being

encouraged to update every three months.

In addition to update frequency, methods of recording data are issues to be discussed for quality

monitoring. It is essential that all villages keep initial data as baselines, be it the map itself or

records of figures. Though this may seem like a logical practice, some visited villages in

Kampong Speu, Prey Veng and SvayRieng had forgotten to date their maps.In these villages, the

commune chief presentedrecorded data from the first and second quarters, demonstrating that it

was easy and simple to track changes and progress in terms of the 13 indicators. Data was

recorded in a way that resembled the method introduced in the Hip Pocket Guide, which

highlights households affected by many indicators as well as indicators that are prevalent for the

entire village. Information from all villages was also stored at the provincial level, along with the

maps.


Practical guidance on how to use SSM to develop plan should be strengthened. This

requires stronger collaboration between village, commune, district and provincial levels.

At the commune level, a monthly reporting format should be established to allow changes

and progressin challenged households to be recorded. Many communes are already

conducting frequent home visits, which should be reported in some way. For example, a

checklist that includes a section to take notes on visitfindings could be introduced.

It is also crucial that communes link the SSM to the CIPs in order to appropriately

allocate funds for vulnerable households. Although all communes indicated that they

used the SSM information during 2010 CIP preparation, a UNICEF Seth Koma staff

member observed that the CCs were not using the SSM to plan long-term objectives but

rather for ad hoc support. Some commune chiefs in Prey Veng said that they tried to

contact NGOs, pagodas and other development organizations every month to seek

support for issues identified on the maps. Thus, while the communes should continue the

good practice of using the SSM to inform the CIPs, this link needs to be strengthened

with long-term objectives in mind. All stakeholders – UNICEF sections, provinces,

communes and villages – should be reminded that the map drawing is not an end in itself,

butrather aims to identify vulnerable families so that communes can allocate the budget

or generate additional support from NGOs, pagodas and private institutions to genuinely

support those in need.To assesshow strong the linkages are, UNICEF should select

sample communes and compare theirCIPs and maps.

19

UNICEF should encourage communes to establish systematic updates at two levels. First,

maps should be renewed in such a way that the timing aligns with CIP development and

commune data base CDB updates. CIPs are developed every June (process begins in

May)and the CDB is updated in December, so the maps should also be updated

aroundthese times. In this way, the latest SSM information can be available for the CDB

and CIPs. Updating along this schedule would simplify data collectionand help

streamline existing data.Furthermore, sincethe CDB is maintained by the Ministry of

Planningand is used to produce the poverty index for the allocation of investment funds

for communes, more unified data would enhance SSM mainstreaming. At the second

level, status of the SSM indicators should be monitored more frequently -- ideally, once

every quarter.

For better monitoring, all villages should record the date of map drawing and data entry.

Though this might sound like standard practice, a number of villages visited in Kampong

Speu, Prey Veng and SvayRieng did not date their maps. Such information would also be

helpful for users. It is important to explain to villagers why suchdates are necessary.

All provinces should be encouraged to compile copies of every village map in one place,

as was done in Kampong Speu. This good practice should be shared with all

provinces.Kampong Speu‟s method forenteringquarterly data can also be adopted by

others. Thus, at the provincial, commune and possibly village level, there should be

horizontal and vertical communication so lessons learned and good practices can be

shared.

CDB

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

CIP PROCESS

beginsCIPs

developed

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Map

Review

Data

Entry Data

Entry

Map

Review

The SSM update cycle

20

To ensure the sustainable use of SSMs in villages, support for updating should be

considered. As one commune clerk indicated, time constraints are a challenge; a possible

solution might be the use of reusable stickers to put on the maps for indicators. Though

this would mean that the initial maps would be altered, communes would still maintain

figures collected in each quarter to use as baselines. For example, Prey Veng holds

quarterly district meetings on CCWC function, and it was suggested that the progress and

changes identified on the SSM be included in the meeting reports.

2.1.3 Lessons learned from the pilot implementation of the SSM for various stakeholders

In addition to the specific topics described above, there have been both positive and negative

lessons learned in general from the pilot implementation of the SSM.

Advantages

Overall, there have been a number of direct positive reactions or comments about the SSM from

the communes and villages, and positive effects could be observed from discussions and

questionnaires.

One advantage of the SSM was that by sharing information and speaking openly about other

families‟ conditions, asense of fairness was created among villagers. Before the SSM, some

villagers might have felt jealous or that it was unfair that only some people received special

support, but the visualized situations made discrepancies between households more transparent,

creating feelings of sympathy with neighbours.

Secondly, the SSM has made villagers more open to various issues and helped them realize the

importance of acknowledging them to improve lives. Eight of 11 communes answered that

awareness-raising campaignsaboutviolence would help address the reasons why some families are

in vulnerable situations. Benefits of schooling, health and sanitation, and general laws were also

seen to beimportant issues that should be promoted. While villagers and commune members have

to be very cautious about stigmatizing issues, buildingawareness through effective campaigns

could help eliminate/mitigate some of these problems.

Thirdly, communes felt thatthe SSM does help identify target families. All 11 communes agreed

that the SSM made it possible to spotand support vulnerable households. Also, four communes

feltthat the SSM made it easy to monitor development, changes and progress. This is a positive

sign because it shows thatcommunes and villages are now more informed of the issues affecting

their villages and feel a greaterresponsibility to face them. This createsastronger base for the

community that promotes community-based development.

Furthermore, as the SSM focuses on social issues, it helps CC/CCWCs promote their role in

strengthening social services. It was observed in SvayRieng that the mind set of CC/CCWCs in

terms of prioritizing issues has shifted from infrastructure to social sectors. Regular updates also

encourage them to pay more attention to vulnerable families and to work in the field more. In

Prey Veng and SvayRieng, the P/DFPs reported that CC/CCWCs are visiting villages more

frequently. As the SSM improves, the role of CC/CCWCs will become more distinct and could

help them more deeply engage in working forthe social welfare of people.

Lastly, as briefly mentioned it was observed that the SSM restored the confidence of leaders at

the commune and village levels and inspired them to improve the situations of their people due to

the sense of ownership promoted by the mapping exercise. While identifying the root causes of

the issues remains a challenge, it is a positive step for local leaders to be able to visualize the

village situation and the issues that need to be tackled.

21

Disadvantages

As already mentioned in the participation section of this report, there is a risk that certain voices

are not being heard. In Cambodian villages, a participatory approach can be a novel concept and

it is inevitable that some people will adhere to hierarchical tradition. Specifically, the quality of

participation in drawing the map (step 2) could be disappointing if pre-meetings, during which

drawing participants are identified, are not well organized.Women, children, youth and even men

without prestigious jobs or titles may be at a higher risk of being ignored.

Secondly, as mentioned in the process section of this report, some communes and villages

perceive developing and having the maps at hand as their final objective. However, the ways in

which they effectively and efficiently use the maps to address the issues is more important. It is

therefore essential to convey the importanceof not only drawing, but also making use of the maps.

Thirdly, the capacities of those involved in the exercise are very limited, which might affect their

ability to conduct the exercise and react to unexpected challenges. For example, as CCWC

facilitationskills are lacking, they may be ill prepared to deal with issues that have not been raised

before,even if theseissuesare critical to children and women‟s rights.

Lastly, there were communes that expressed concern about the maps being difficult to preserve

due to dusty environments or the lack of proper materials. A few communes requested plastic

covers or computer-based maps.


As the SSM helps to promote confidence and responsibility at thesub-national level, it

has thepotential to further empower the CC/CCWCs and village and commune leaders.

UNICEF should enhance this practice by stressing the fact that local leadersshould feel

comfortable taking initiative in future SSM activities and making improvements to the

maps. At the same time, all UNICEF staff should be aware of the hierarchy culture and

thepotential impact of their presence. It is important for us to be sensitive and step aside,

focusing on facilitation andnot decision-making.

For all stakeholders, there should be regular update/refresher workshops or training

sessions to maintainmotivationand build capacities. Study tours to other provinces could

be organized to observe what others are doing and illustratesuccessful work.

For the villages to improvethe map‟s physical integrity, protective plastic covers should

be used. When stored, the maps should be kept from direct sunlight to preserve the

colours.

2.2 Inputs from Users

As illustrated in Annex 2, there were six user groups identified in four provinces for interviewing.

As SSM is a new tool, the assessment team met difficulties in identifying user groups (NGO or

provincial Departments). The six identified users provided useful insight on user perspectives.

22

Usefulness and relevance of the SSM

Six users of the SSM, mainly NGOs, were identified and interviewed in six communes in four

provinces: Prey Veng, SvayRieng, Kampong Speu and Stung Treng. They all said that they were

aware of the existence of the maps in the villages they support.

The majority of them acquired information about the maps from either the village leaders or the

commune chiefs. Considering that development organizations are likely to first go to a village

chief when starting activities in a village, it seems as though keeping the map in the village

chief‟s home is the most logical. Nine of 11communes do this.

Most respondents did not only use the maps to gather information, but also to identify target

families. In this regard, the SSM is well received and its objectives are understood among users.

Users had some positive comments to share. One mentioned that s/he could perceive the progress

on the indicators in a “transparent” manner. This map belonged to a commune that updated their

map every three months, further illustrating the importance of regular map updates to enable

development agencies to monitor progress. The fact that the map is drawn and updated in a

participatory manner gavethe user a sense of transparency and accountability. Another user said

that s/he could get more information from the SSM and that it was easier to use than other maps

created by NGOs. Other users felt that the maps provided very clear and quick information,

suggesting that the maps led to more efficient work. While these comments applaud the SSM for

its quality in terms of content and structure, they alsoimply that users are looking for as much

clear and quick information as possible to provide aid more efficiently and effectively.

While this group of NGOs expressed that the maps are useful, there were also some negative

observations in feedback reports after the assessment. According to reports in Stung Treng, the

team wasinformed that there was no NGO using or interested in the SSM in the particular

commune where they tried to approach a user. Similarly, inOddarMeanchey, the team found that

NGOs have been made aware of the SSM, but have not used yet one. The findings show that

information is not well disseminated to encourage all stakeholders to make use of the maps. In

Kampong Speu, despite efforts by the province to store all maps at the provincial office, most

development partners have not been informed about their existence. During the discussion, one

village chief said that one NGO working in the health sector asked for copies of the maps, but had

not been contacted since obtaining them. This incident reveals that there is a lack of cooperation

between development institutions and villages and a lag in ownership of villages and communes.

Overall, these findings also indicate that the SSM is potentially useful when trying to address

issues. However, due a lack of harmonization between stakeholders, there is a risk that the maps

will be valuable in theory only.

Despite the fact that the users found the SSM “useful,” the indicators did not appear to be very

“relevant” to the issues they are trying to tackle. Only two users of six said that some of the

indicators were related to their activities, and two answered that none of the indicators were

related to their work. This is a predictable result since these organizations‟ activities are often

focused on either very specific themes or broad areas that cut across different indicators. For

example, one of the users that said that no indicators were illustrative is a health-related NGO that

targets families with “specific health problems.”


Because the interview sample is so small, results should not be overgeneralized. However, in

order to improve the effectiveness and quality of the SSM, it is integral to consider incorporating

users‟ inputs into the current system, to encourage users to be more involved in the SSM process

and to promote the maps‟ use.

23

If relevance is an issue, users could be invited to map drawing or other related meetings

(separate meetings might also work) so they can improvethe maps from a user‟s point of

view. In Kampong Speu, some NGOs saidthat they would like to add specific indicators

on the maps. A user in one commune said that s/hewould put additional information

about the NGO‟sactivities onto a copy of the SSM. In this way, the maps can adjust and

become more relevant to each village. Also, with villagers leading these meetings, the

recipient-provider relationship could change, resulting in more cooperative practices and

more villager ownership.

Though the six organizations identified and interviewed were aware of existence of the

maps, field visits revealed that there were more organizations that did not know about the

maps. It has been less than two years since the implementation, so it is understandable

that the news has not yet been widelydisseminated. One solution would be to invite

provincial-level NGOs to a meeting or workshop that would highlight the usefulness and

effectiveness of the maps.

Distributing related materials like the Hip Pocket Guideor a training manual to users

would give the mapsmore accountability and could attract theattention of users. Provinces

should also compile and store copies of all village maps so that the users couldmore

efficiently access this information at the provincial level. This practice is already in place

in Kampong Speu.

A more systematic relationship between users and developers (province, commune and villages)

of the maps needs to be established. Users must be informed of the maps‟ existence and

usefulness.

2.3 Inputs from supporters

Interviews were carried out with a supporter group who had assisted in the development and use

of the SSM, consisting of PLAU officers, P/DFPs and/or P/DFTs in each ofthe six provinces.

This set of interviews aimed at assessing the quality of the trainings received as well as trainings

they conducted for the CC/CCWCs.

SSM trainings for supporters

All supporters found the training entirely or partially easy, although supporter groups in two

communes found a few points to be challenging. Some comments provided by the communes that

found the training easy were very passive, such as, “It is easy because it was a pilot and the

training was not the real training,” and, “It was the discussion and orientation by the consultants.”

Responses that said the training was challenging were about the procedures: “It is not so easy

because steps 3 to 5 are difficult in the training,” and “It is not so easy because the table for

commune workplan is difficult to understand.” These comments encourage us to modify the

guidelines, manuals and training procedures so as to be more user-friendly.

When asked if they need to have a refresher training to support the SSM process, all six groups

answered “Yes”. One commune stated that they should have a follow-up session because they did

not clearly understand all the points. Two other communes implied that the training was too short

(suggesting a seven-day training instead) and that the facilitator was going too fast and using

methods that were too complex. Furthermore, supporters in OddarMeancheyinformed the

interviewers that there was no official provincial level training for them, so only onePFP attended

the training.He was the only person who coordinated and conducted the training for CC/CCWC,

without any support from the DFP or P/DFTs. Taking these points into account, the length and

methodologies might need to be reconsidered and adjusted.Trainingsshould also be organized at

the provincial level with mandatory participation. In contrast, one commune realized that the

24

refresher should help “mainstream the process and importance of the maps among the sectoral

departments and development partners.”

Support provided to CC/CCWC and villages

All interviewed supporters in the six provinces found the training they conducted for CC/CCWC

to be not so easy. The most common concern was capacities of CCs/CCWCs in understanding the

concepts and contents of the SSM. Specific comments included: “Some of the contents are

difficult to understand,” “Participants‟ capacities were limited,” “No clear understanding in

benefits of the maps,” and “Difficult terms.” Others worth mentioning are, “Participants did not

share their ideas,” and “New topics for them.” As explained in the participation section of this

report, it is possible that the CC/CCWCs were afraid to speakup in front of supporters who were

higher in the hierarchical order. But the same commune also noted that the training was not easy

because of “new topics for them,” so the CC/CCWCs might have been unable to learn the new

concepts in such a short time. Also, a lack of adequate support was voiced: “Practical

exerciseswould help to understand” and “No support from P/DFPs.” Lastly, there were supporter

groups that raised concerns about certain indicators: “Difficult to understand indicators 11 and 13

because they seem to overlap,” and “Difficult to monitor indicator 11.” In terms of the training

conducted for the CC/CCWCs by supporters, further adjustments and improvements seem

necessary.

Given the supporters‟ concernfor the CC/CCWCs‟ lack of capacities, it is also important to

consider the supporters‟ facilitation skills. To encourage participation and instruct people on new

concepts requiressignificant facilitation experience. The fact that the map introduces new

concepts even for supportersmakes it even more challenging.

In addition, the assessment team that visited Stung Treng learned that the CCWCs had received

technical and financial support from provincial and district levels separately during the SSM

development in 2009. While PLAU allocated a budget for provincial training only, the Provincial

Department of Planning allocated funds to cover development of the SSM at the village level.

These different mechanisms of support created some confusion as to who would follow-up after

completion of SSM development. The Stung Trengcase indicates that responsibilitiesand roles

among the various stakeholders are not clearly defined.

The training to commune/village was seen as “not so appropriate” by four out of six supporter

groups. One of the main reasons cited was that the training was too short. Another prime reason

was again capacity and competency; one commune felt “a number of points are difficult for

commune and village leaders” and “CC/CCWC members have different knowledge and skills.”

Also, capacities of facilitators to conduct the training need improvement since they felt it was

“difficult to explain the 13 indicators” and there are “too many documents.”


One supporter group recommended a longer period for the trainings they received. They

felt that a one-day course with a one-day exercise was too short to absorb all the

information. The suggested length was threedays. On the other hand, since supporters as

well as CC/CCWCs facetime constraints, it might not be feasible to make the training

longer.Materials could however be revisited, removing unnecessary contents so as to

simplifythe trainings. The training could also be broken down into shorter segments and

conducted over the course over several days. The same can be said for training for

commune/villages. Supporter suggestions ranged from three to seven days, but the

adequate period should be discussed with trainees and trainers.

Supporters in one commune suggested that there should be more

awarenessraisingamongCCWC members. In order to communicate the importance of the

25

SSM, it is recommended to review the exercise in monthly meetingsto emphasize the fact

that the mapping is not simply an ad hoc experiment. They could also use the annual

meetings as an opportunity to makea presentation on the SSM.

In order to avoid the confusion observed in Stung Treng, roles/responsibilities of all

involved in provincial and district departments should be discussed and decided on.

These should include how and who will deal with all financial and technical support for

CCWCs/CCs before/during/after the SSM development.

Inregard to capacities, the Department of Planning specializes in analyzing/formulating

development plans and monitoring implementations. It could contribute to the

improvementof the capacity of P/DFPs or CC/CCWCs in data analysis. This might have

to wait for the new provincial structure in 2011, but MoI should nevertheless establish

systematic training sessions.

3 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 Recommendations based on the interviews, questionnaires and discussions

Based on the findings and information gathered during the assessment, there are a few more

recommendations that should be mentioned:

A supporter group in one commune commented on the size of villages, which can be

quite varied: small villages generally consist of50 households, while large ones might be

as large as400 households. The supporter groups suggested that it would be better to

firstdrawmaps forsmaller villages, indicating that in larger villages, it could be more

challenging to collect data or gather participants. When a village is as large as 200 or

more households, it might be useful to divide the map intwo during thedrawing phase.

This could ease the issue of meeting and discussion sitesbeing too far for participants.

In terms of the assessment process itself, Stung Treng reported that communication

between the province, district and commune was not conveyed clearly, which affected the

selection of beneficiaries in accordance withthe SSM indicators. Furthermore, the

respondents noted that some important figures missed the discussion; some of them did

not even providereasons for their absence. The assessment team responded: “Such an

event does not happen very often, so P/DFP needs to discuss with communes and

prioritize it as a special event to be put into their work plans.”

The feedback report from SvayRieng points out: “There should be more questions related

to achange in the situation of children in these families.” The analysis would allow the

team to assess the SSM‟s impacts on villagers, especially vulnerable children.

The most difficultchallenge is capacity building. Refresher trainings and regular updates

should help improve skills. In addition, study sessions in participatory approaches,

facilitation and decentralization could help leaders from the provincial to the village level

become aware of the important concepts and improve their capacity to lead meetings.

When maps and indicator data are updated, it should be recommended to also record the

kind of support each household receives in order to avoid duplication of assistance. When

different development agencies operate in the same village, there is a risk of uneven and

unfair distribution of support, with households with more evident issues receiving

duplicated support. To enhance equity, the communes could ensure that the whole picture

of distribution of support is reflected during data entry.

26

3.2 Recommendations from meetings with UNICEF staff and other development partners

After the assessment, follow-up meetings and discussions were held to come up with practical

future steps to be taken to further the use of the SSM.

The guidelines should be amended so that they include statements to remind CC/CCWCs

and villagers to use the SSM with other data, such as ID poor families and the CDB.

Young people are perceived as akey source of information, so the guidelines should

indicate the ideal percentage of youth participation in the mapping to remind and

encourage the CC/CCWCs and village leaders to include them. For the purpose of

revising all the SSM materials and documents, UNICEF should recruit a consultant.

Young people shouldplay a significant role in sustaining and disseminating the tools. It

was also suggested that the commune/villages collaborate closely with schools to

organize occasions where youth participants could present and share their experiences in

discussions and meetings with other students.

There have been various suggestions as to how to disseminate and promote wider use of

the SSM among different organizations. One suggestion was that there should be a

national level workshop where the SSM is presented to all line departments, international

organizations, NGOs and other relevant partners in coordination meetings led by

WCCCS. At the sub-national level, for example, SvayRieng holds monthly NGO

meetings that can be an opportunity for CC/CCWCs to share their experiences. In

summary, whenever there are meetings at different levels with national or sub-national

departments and development organizations, efforts should be made to allot time for a

SSM presentation. Another suggestion is to prominently display a sample of the SSM at

commune officesso that when development partners visit these offices for information,

they will become aware of the existence of the maps. Commune offices should also post a

brief explanationof the SSM and how copies can be obtained.

The analytical skills of CC/CCWCs and villagers should be improved. They should better

understand the ways in which data is interrelated to assist them in tackling the underlying

causes of a number of issues. The analytical process in the guidelines can be used as a

guide in capacity building.

All the maps should indicate location of service providers,including volunteers, NGOs,

police stations, chiefs‟ houses, clerks, schools and health centres, even if they are located

offof the map, so that users of the maps easily know where to go. They could illustrate

the distance and directions toservice providers that villagers and users can access.This

would not only make the map more effective for users, but also better reflect the name of

the tool,Social ServiceMapping.

27

Sample of Social Service Mapping showing service providers

Updated on Jan. 11, 2011

Communes should be encouraged to start putting aside a portionof the commune annual

development fund to use for social sectors that are highlighted in the SSM.

In SvayRieng, although health centre staff cannot participate in the meetings in every

village, they provide inputs to every village before finalizing the maps. This good

practice should be encouraged in other provinces.

Finally, UNICEF might need to hold further meetings to discuss the suitability of the list

of 13 indicators. As mentioned earlier, some indicators might need to be clarified,

elaborated, added or taken out. Also, each indicator should be clearly stated so that all

stakeholders can easily understand its meaning. Annex 3 include suggested changes made

to the list of indicators.

4 CONCLUSION

While a number of challenges still remain, the SSM has made positive impacts on the

wayscommunes and villages perceive and provide support to people.

Overall, the most positive achievement of the SSM pilot implementation is that the tool played an

important role in shifting many key actors‟ attention from infrastructure to social sectors,

especially at the commune and village levels. The tool helped them realize the importance of

focusing on individual vulnerable people and families. As the quality of the maps differs from

commune to commune and village to village, overgeneralization shouldbe avoided. The SSM,

however, while needed to be improved, seems to help leaders at village and commune levels

focus on how and what issues they should prioritize. The SSM also seems to positively impact

commune and village leaders‟ attitudes, as they gain confidence when put in the position of

explaining the situations of their communitiesto others. In turn, this confidence seems to create a

sense of responsibilitytoseek necessary support for the poor and encourage leaders to contact

Indicators

1

.

.

.

.

13

School

Health Centre

1

5

1.5 km E

2.0

km

S

pagoda

28

relevant assistanceagencies. Furthermore, visualizing the village‟s situation in the form of a map

helps the key actors acknowledgethe coreissues to be tackled and identify the most vulnerable

families.

On the other hand, some challenges need to be addressed to improve future interventions: 1.

Increase the capacities of key actors who develop the maps, 2. Improve coordination of different

tools, and 3. Bolster dissemination of the SSM to different development partners.

1. Interviews with supporters as well as UNICEF staff involved in the SSM exercise

showed concern about CC/CCWC and villager capacities in understanding the new

concepts (including indicators) and SSM process. It is crucial for CC/CCWCs to fully

understand the purposes and procedures of the SSM, for they are in charge of conducting

the exercise at the village level and of monitoring. In order to maximize usage of the

materials, UNICEF should amend them to accommodatethe capacities of the users.

Specifically, the Hip Pocket Manual should be simplified so that CC/CCWCs can easily

follow the instructions while conducting the exercise in the field. Close consultations

should be also made with CC/CCWCs and P/DFPs to identifytheareas that are difficult to

understand and how they can be improved. In short, all the manuals and guidelines

should be more user-friendly. Furthermore, capacity building, especially in facilitation

skills, needs to be enhanced throughclose collaboration with line departments.

2. Different data sources are currently used to identify the poor and vulnerable and do not

complement each other well. In order to avoid duplication of indicators, the SSM should

better complement the CDB and ID poor so that the information can be more effectively

used in CIPs. To strengthen coordination of the tools and link with the CIPs, timing of the

SSM updates should be aligned with development and annual updates of CIPs and CDB.

Village maps should be renewed in June and December, when CIPsaredeveloped and the

CDB is updated, respectively. As ID poor list of beneficiaries isonly updated biannually,

the SSM information can help assess the situations of equity card recipient families.

3. Dissemination is also a key factor that could improve the SSM‟s effectiveness and

usefulness. At this point, the maps have not been widely used by development partners.

In order to spread the word about the SSM, key stakeholders should try to

makepresentations at different levels, illustrating the tool‟s usefulness and effectiveness.

Better coordination among stakeholders is necessary to mainstream and strengthen the

map.

While taking the next steps to improve SSM implementation for future interventions, it has to be

kept in mind that concepts such as participation, stigma and confidentiality have been newly

introduced to rather traditional Cambodian villages.CC/CCWCs should be encouraged to

carefully follow-up on sensitive issues. UNICEF should also be aware that sub-national officials,

including CC/CCWCs and P/DFPs and even village leaders, can be empowered and their

capacities developed.

Finally, this SSM tool is potentially useful and effective inidentifyingand better targeting

vulnerable people, especially children and women. In order to make the most use of the tool,

working in harmony with different stakeholders will be increasingly important. And, with

improvements, this initiative can help to operationalize UNICEF‟s priority, “equity” in providing

support to the most vulnerable.

5 ANNEXES

Annex 1- Original and Revised Indicators

Indicator

No. Original

New

No. Revised/New

1 Household with under-one-year old children who have

NOT been registered. 1

Household with children who do NOT have a birth

certificate.

2 Household with one-year old children who have NOT been

fully immunized. 2

Household with one-year old children who have NOT been

fully immunized.

3 Household with pregnant women who have NOT accessed

health services. 3 Household with pregnant women who have NOT made an

antenatal visit to a health clinic.

4 Household with 3-5 year-old children who do NOT attend

preschool. 4

Household with 3-5 year old children who do NOT attend

preschool.

5 Household with 6-11 year-old children who do NOT attend

school or have dropped out of school. 5

Household with 6-11 year old children who do NOT attend

school or have dropped out of school.

6 Household with 12-14 year old children who do NOT

attend or have dropped out of lower secondary school.

7 Household with children involved in harmful and

hazardous work.

6 Household with NO access to clean water. 8 Household with NO access to safewater.

7 Household with NO latrine. 9 Household with NO latrine.

8 Household with orphan(s) or abandoned children. 10 Household with orphan(s) or abandoned children.

9 Household with children living with chronically ill parents

or care-givers. 11

Household with chronically ill family member.

12 Household with malnourished children.

10 Household with children with disabilities. 13 Household with mentally or physically challenged children.

11

Household with children who have been exposed to and/or

directly impacted by violence or abuse (migration, rape,

child labor).

14 Female-headed household.

12 Household which have poor ID cards. 15 Household with ID poor cards.

13 Household which have youth involved in gang and/or drug-

related activity.

30

Annex 2- Questionnaire

Updated on 19 July 2010

Internal assessment of social service mapping in 2010

Questionnaires for focus group discussion

Name of interviewer: Telephone #

Date of data collection:

Province:

District:

Commune:

Village:

Members of FGD:

CCWC members:

Commune chief:

Commune 2nd Deputy chief

CWCFP

Clerk

Teacher

Health centre staff

Village chief/s

Village vice-chief

Village assistant

Others: ..................................................................................................................

31

1 To assess the process to develop SSM # village

1.1 How many villages in the communes?

How many villages had drawing SSM maps in the commune?

Note: interviewer asks village chief to show the SSM (map) that had been drawn and take photo)

1.2 SSM process:

1.2.1 What did CC/CCWC prepare in advance for drawing the SSM? (step 1) Please tick below if yes:

CC/CCWC organizes a pre-meeting to share responsibility

Village chiefs inform villagers about the timing to draw SSM

Draw a preliminary map

Prepare objectives of drawing the map on a flipchart

Prepare materials for drawing the map

Other activities, please specify:

Prepare schedule, dates, organize pre-meeting with village leaders to preliminary draft the

village map, look at existing maps

Note: Look at existing map on the household coding, such as school map, census map, etc.

1.2.2 Developing the SSM at village level: (step 2)

The steps for drawing the maps Please tick below if yes:

a)Greet and introduce participants

b)Explain the objectives of SSM

c)Discuss the indicators

d)Present the draft map and begin the discussion

e)Finalize and endorse the map with all participants

How many sensitive issues such as domestic violence/abuse/illness discussed?

How were these families identified? Was this done separately or with the whole group?

Were any measures taken to protect the privacy of the families in question?

Were families in the mapping process consulted?

Participants: ...................................................................................................................

Other activities: if yes, please describe: ..........................................................................

1.3 Number of participants in the drawing process:

Who was invited in the process to develop the map?

Why were they selected?

How did you ensure women participated?

How many women participated?

How was it ensured that the poor participated (have Id Poor card)?

How many poor households participated?

Did SSM bring change to community? Such as division, fragmentation, or stigmatization in the

community?

1.4 Participants as key informants in the SSM development/drawing map Please tick

Village chief, deputy chief, assistants

Village elderly people

Youth representative

Village health support group (VHSG)

32

Schoolmaster, teacher

Health centre

Community/villagers

Others (please describe): in a number of villages, the monks also participated in the process.

Note: Representatives from rich and poor, men and women (at least 30% of the population)

1.5 Any indicators that you have added while drawing SSM map? Please tick

Yes No

if NO, which ones are complicated? please indicate:

1.6 Any indicators that you have added while drawing SSM map? Please tick

Yes No

If yes, please describe:

1.7

Do you think that you want to add anynew indicators that are relevant/associated with the real

issues in the village, if you draw the map in the future? If yes, please describe from the most

relevant to worst? Please tick

Yes No

If yes, please describe: Indicator related to the poor families that have no/less food more than six

months.

1.8

Do you think that any indicator is not relevant/associatedwith the real issues in the village? If

Yes please describe from the most relevant to worse? Please tick

Relevant Not relevant

If, no, please indicate which are the indicators in the boxes below: Please tick

1. Household whose children (under 30 days old) have NOT had birth registrations yet.

2. Household whose one-year-old children have NOT had 7 vaccinations.

3. Household with pregnant women who have NOT accessed health services.

4.Household whose 3- to 5 year-old children have NOT attended preschool.

5. Household whose 6- to 11-year-old children have NOT attended school or have dropped out

of school.

6. Household that does NOT have access to clean water for drinking and domestic.

7. Household that does NOT have a latrine.

8.Household thathas orphans or abandoned children.

9.Household thathadchildren living with chronically ill parents or caregivers.

10.Household thathaschildren with disabilities.

11.Household with children who have been exposed to and/or directly impacted by violence or

abuse (migration, rape, child labour)

12.Household thathasID poor cards.

13. Household thathasyouth involved in gang and/or drug-related activity.

Please describe the reasons:

II Assessing the usefulness and effectiveness of the SSM

33

Guiding questions for map analysis

2.1

Did CC/CCWC had been used the SSM to identify the priority in order to address the issues?

(Step 3) Please tick

Yes

No

If yes/no, please go to question ….

2.2 How CC/CCWC set or identify the priority issues?

Please describe:

2.3 Has the CC used the SSM for the CIP this year? Please tick

Yes No

If so, which activities in the CIP address SSM identified issues?

2.4 Has the CC used the SSM for another planning process? Please tick Yes and no

Yes No

If yes, what issues? Which planning process?

2.5 Using map to assist CC/CCWC to monitor the targets identified in the maps Please tick

Yes No

Does any sector department or organization use the map?

If yes, please describe

2.6

Map used for monitoring: to monitor the progress of solving the issues in each household and the

progress of the indicators

2.6.1 Did CC/CCWC update the SSM? Please tick

Yes No

If yes, when? Please tick

Once a month

Every 3months

Every 6months

Every 12 months

Please specify:

2.6.2 How often does the CC/CCWC want to update SSM? Please tick

Once a month

Quarterly

Every 6months

Every 12 months

2.6.3 Who participate in the process of updating the map?

Please describe:

2.6.4 Where did you keep the map? How? Please tick

House of village chief

House of commune chief

Commune office

Village meeting place

Other places: ..........................................................................

Please describe the reason:

34

2.6.5

Who can see the map? (There are privacy/confidentiality issues; can anyone just see the map or

only a few people?

2.7 CC/CCWC support

2.7.1 How many families receive support from CC/CCWC? Please tick

Yes No

What kind of support?

2.8 Which resources doesCC/CCWC use to support the vulnerable? Please tick

Commune fund

Please describe the service:

Sectoral budget


IO/NGOs


Generous people


2.9 General questions

2.9.1 What have you learned about families in vulnerable situations from doing the mapping?

2.9.2

What awareness-raising campaigns do you think would help to address the reasons families are

in vulnerable situations?

2.9.3

Do CC/CCWCs have any recommendation on the preparation and process to prepare SSMs in

the future?

2.9.4 What is the linkage between Prakas on Alternative Care (testing) and SSM?

Other important information:

35

Annex 3: List of participants from focus group discussions, interviewed users and supporters

Prey Veng SvayRieng Kampong Speu Stung Treng OddarMeanchey Kampong Thom

Focus group discussions

CCWC members, commune

second deputy chief,

CWCFP, clerk,

teachers, health centre staff, police, village chief, village vice-chief, village

assistant


chief, commune


CWCFP, clerk,

teachers, health centre staff, police, village chief, village vice-chief, village

assistant


chief, commune


CWCFP, clerk,

teachers, health centre staff, village

chief


chief, commune


CWCFP, clerk,

teachers, health centre staff, village chief, village

vice-chief



CWCFP, clerk,

teachers, police, village chief

CCWC members, commune chief,

commune second deputy chief,

CWCFP, clerk,police, village chief, village vice-

chief, village assistant


chief, CWCFP,

clerk, teachers,

police, village chief, village

vice-chief


chief, commune


CWCFP, clerk,

teachers, police, village chief, village

vice-chief


chief, CWCFP,

clerk, health centre staff,

police, village chief, village vice-

chief


chief, CWCFP,

Clerk, teachers,

health centre staff, police, village chief, village vice-chief, village

assistant

CCWC members, commune chief, commune second deputy

chief, CWCFP, clerk, police, village chief, village vice-chief

Commune

An

gko

r Tret

Kam

po

ng

Leav

Sp

eu K

Sam

bo

ur

Praso

ut

Prah

Po

nlea

Tan

g K

rou

ch

Dam

bo

ukR

ou

ng

Sam

Kh

uo

y

Preah

Bat

Stu

ng

Tren

Ko

rk Mo

rn

Lu

mT

orn

g

Ach

ar Leak

Village

Ko

rk

Ru

sseiTh

lork

Svay P

ork

Sp

eu L

ech

Ka L

ei Kh

ang

Tb

on

g

To

ulA

ng

kup

Po

rTh

ivon

g

O D

o A

n

An

gT

amao

O'K

orki

Dam

nakT

rach

Mean

Ch

ey

Ba D

erm

Sam

Kh

uo

y

Kain

gM

emay

Sp

ean T

hm

or

Ko

rk Mo

rn

Kan

hC

hrieb

Lu

mT

orn

gT

hm

ey

O'K

orkiL

eur

Ach

ar Leak

Krach

ab

Supporters PLAU officers, PDFPs, P/DFTs PLAU officers, P/DFPs, P/DFTs PLAU officers, P/DFPs, P/DFTs PLAU officers, P/DFPs, P/DFTs PLAU officers, P/DFPs, P/DFTs PLAU officers, P/DFPs, P/DFTs

Users

Action on D

isability and D

evelopment (A

DD

; UK

development agency)

Cam

bodian Children A

gainst S

tarvation and Violence

Association (C

CA

SV

A; local

NG

O)

Pen S

ovanny, PoS

AV

Y

NgounP

heoun

Lutheran World F

ederation C

ambodia (LW

S;

international NG

O)

MlobB

aitong (local NG

O)

Beneficiaries (26)

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2

Documents

A Report on the Internal Assessment of the Social … · A Report on the Internal Assessment of the Social Service Mapping Tool Computerized Social Service Map, DamnakTrach village,