CEGGA II Programme strengthens citizen engagement

Four years of joint efforts have helped give more people in Laos opportunities to take part in community development, engage with decision-makers, and access legal information.
The completion of Phase II of the Citizen Engagement for Good Governance, Accountability and the Rule of Law Programme (CEGGA II) was marked with a ceremony held in Vientiane on September 23.
The programme has been running from 2022 to 2026 as a joint initiative of Switzerland, Germany and the European Union with Laos, and is implemented by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH), German Corporation for International Cooperation.

The closing event brought together representatives from government institutions, civil society organisations, communities and development partners to reflect on the programme’s achievements and lessons after four years of cooperation.
Deputy Chief of the Central Committee for Organisation and Personnel, Mr Vilayvanh Bouddakham, said “What we have developed and implemented together from the beginning until today is in line with the Government’s direction to promote the participation of all sectors and bring our collective efforts together for the development of the country. We will continue to build on this work, taking forward the lessons learned and the achievements of the programme and applying them in practice.” 
One of the programme’s key achievements has been the provision of greater opportunities for citizens to engage with decision-makers.
From 2024 to 2026, Provincial People’s Councils in Luang Prabang and Khammuan engaged with more than 87,000 citizens through public hearings, petitions and hotline calls.
Women accounted for 45 percent of the people reached, showing their growing participation in discussions and channels for raising community concerns.
The programme also supported women’s participation in political leadership. More than 400 women candidates received training ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections.

Following the elections, women secured 29.71 percent of seats in the National Assembly, compared with 21.92 percent in the previous legislative period.
At the community level, the CEGGA Small Grants Mechanism supported 32 projects across Laos, which benefited more than 100,000 citizens while strengthening community organisations and supporting vulnerable groups.
The programme also helped bring civil society organisations closer to communities. CSO Fairs provided opportunities for more than 70 civil society organisations to connect with communities and wider audiences.
Access to legal information was another important part of the programme.
CEGGA II supported legal awareness activities, mobile legal services and Clinical Legal Education, helping connect law students with communities and strengthen the link between legal education and practice.

More than 25,000 villagers were informed about law-related processes and services, while more than 2,100 village leaders received training.
These activities brought together government institutions, civil society organisations, communities and Team Europe partners around the common goal to strengthen participation, dialogue and access to justice.
As CEGGA II reaches the end of its four-year programme, its partners say the experience and lessons gained will continue to support efforts to build stronger relationships between citizens and institutions.
The programme’s work shows how opportunities for people to speak, participate and understand their rights can contribute to more inclusive development across Laos.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update September 24, 2026)