Community-Based Water Management (NRD) North-east Rural Development (NRD) is provincial based non-governmental organization in Kratie province. It is working in all its target villages located along the Mekong River. Its commitment is to build the capacity for people including indigenous communities (Kouy and Phounong) to improve the way of managing the water and dealing with water issues for better livelihoods. Its goal is to develop Cambodia in peace, dignity, tolerant, for all sustainability and non-encroachment of environment together.

NRD is implementingthe project called #Community Fishery Voice and Actions in Upper Mekong River in Cambodia- extension phase# The project intervenes in 27 villages in 7 communes in Sambor District, Kratie province where proposed hydro-power dam in the Mekong mainstream has recently announced by the government. Mekong River is connected to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest permanent fresh water body and the most productive fresh water ecosystem in the world. The river system supports diverse fish and aquatic resources, many of the basin deep pools have been recognized as significant for fishery conservation and are designated fish conservation zones. Fish can breed and reproductive without people activities# disturb it. Also, 27 target communities use and depend on river for their livelihood. Sambor district is located along the Mekong River, house of 58 deep pools in the area. The areas are encountering multiple threats, including hydro-power dam construction and natural resources destruction.  This area is proposed to build a hydro-power dam with pre-feasibilitystudy conducted in Sambor District. This proposed Sambor dam will destroy the natural resources, environment, and affect to the livelihood of the residents in the area such as resettlement, basic human rights, economic, and culture. Furthermore, three gold miningconcessions areas where are leading to water pollution, illegal fishing and overfishing. As the result, fish catching, biodiversity, water quality and water quantity decline while the growing population in the area are depending on the natural resources such as fish and agricultural production to survive. In this regards, Women and children who are responsible for daily family's food apply are shouldering big burden because of environmentaldamage.

The proposed project is from May 2017 until March 2019. It will focus on 27 villages in 7 communes in Sambor districts, Kratie province that has total population 29,927 (15,041 women). The project activities will address the immediate needs ofthe community fishery to protect their livelihoods and the ecosystems. The project is cruciallyimportant for community to find out the negotiation process with the project development and advocate with government, company, andstakeholders for a fair decision making. The project will enable community fisheries to have the opportunity to discuss and raise their issues that they have faced in order to get the suitable solutions. Moreover, it will help community especially youth and womenactively participate in protecting river resources, and decision-making process.

The project goal to strengthen community fisheries# participation and engagement in Water Governance of Upper Mekong River in Sambor district, Kratie province.  The two main objectives are1)Strengthened capacity of women <(>&<)> youth to engage in community fishery management for livelihood improvement and 2) Increased engagement of stakeholders in water governance for a fair decision making.