Yet as society becomes more educated, urbanised, and digitally connected, citizens’ expectations of governance are changing.
People no longer judge government only by stability or economic growth; they increasingly evaluate it by whether policies reflect their needs, voices, and aspirations.
This shift makes people-centred governance a strategic necessity.
At its core, people-centred governance means governing by listening to citizens rather than privileging elite or interest-group perspectives.
Research by the World Bank has shown that governance quality is best assessed not merely through formal institutions or technocratic indicators, but through how citizens themselves perceive responsiveness, fairness, accountability, and trust in government
For Cambodia, strengthening people-centred governance is essential to renewing the social contract between the state and its people.
From participation as consultation to participation as co-creation
Public participation in Cambodia has often taken the form of consultation—meetings, workshops, or feedback sessions conducted after key decisions have largely been made.
A people-centred approach requires moving further, towards participation as co-creation. This means involving citizens early in problem definition, policy design, implementation, and evaluation.
Human-centred policy design research emphasises that policies are more effective when they start from people’s lived experiences rather than abstract assumptions
By engaging communities directly—farmers, workers, youth, women, and vulnerable groups—government can better understand real constraints, aspirations, and trade-offs.
In Cambodia’s context, this approach is particularly relevant for education reform, skill development, healthcare reform, justice reform, urban planning and land management, digital transformation, decentralisation, climate change adaptation, and social protection.
Inclusion and local democracy as foundations of legitimacy
People-centred governance is inseparable from inclusion. Governance systems that fail to incorporate the voices of women, ethnic minorities, informal workers, persons with disabilities, and rural communities risk deepening inequality and eroding trust.
International experience shows that fair governance depends on ensuring participation and protection for those most likely to be left behind.
In Cambodia, decentralisation and deconcentration reforms provide a strong institutional foundation for inclusive governance.
Commune, district, and provincial councils are closest to citizens and best positioned to understand local needs. However, decentralisation must go beyond administrative delegation.
It must empower local governments with real decision-making authority, predictable resources, and capable local leadership.
Effective local democracy is not only about elections, but about everyday problem-solving and accountability at the community level. Local leadership and ownership in solving local problems are essential here.
Local solutions to local problems
People-centred governance recognises that one-size-fits-all policies rarely work.
Local governments should be encouraged to experiment with local solutions to local problems—whether in waste management, climate adaptation, public safety, or youth employment.
Evidence from people-centric governance models highlights that innovation flourishes when communities are treated as partners rather than passive recipients.
Social innovation—community-led initiatives, public-private-people partnerships, and local innovation labs—can complement formal government action.
When supported by enabling regulations and modest seed funding, these initiatives can deliver services more responsively and at lower cost, while strengthening civic ownership and trust.
Accountability, transparency, and feedback loops
Participation without accountability risks becoming symbolic. People-centred governance requires strong feedback loops—mechanisms through which citizens can monitor performance, report problems, and see tangible responses.
Transparency is the foundation of these loops. Governments must make information on budgets, services, and outcomes accessible and understandable, not merely available.
Citizen feedback systems, digital reporting platforms, and community scorecards can help close the gap between policy intent and implementation.
Research on people-centred justice and security shows that trust grows when institutions respond visibly to people’s concerns and adapt based on feedback
For Cambodia, embedding feedback loops into local governance can strengthen accountability while preventing grievances from escalating.
Towards a new governance compact
Ultimately, people-centred governance is about renewing Cambodia’s social contract. It shifts governance from managing people to steering and empowering them; from delivering services to enabling collective problem-solving and ownership.
This does not weaken the state—on the contrary, it strengthens state legitimacy, policy effectiveness, and national resilience.
As Cambodia looks toward its long-term development vision, investing in people-centered governance—through participation, inclusion, decentralisation, accountability, and innovation—will be critical.
Policies designed with the people are more likely to be trusted, sustained, and successful. In an era of complexity and uncertainty, governing with the people is not only more democratic; it is smarter governance.
The author is Founding Chairman of Angkor Social Innovation Park, a social enterprise dedicated to enhancing SME innovation in Cambodia.