Officials at a One Window Service Office (OWSO) in the capital’s Daun Penh district. Daun Penh district admin
The General Department of Identification (GDI) has announced plans to expand the services of the One Window Service Offices (OWSO) in 500 communes. The offices will now process ID services and civil registry documents.
The decision came after trials at several commune offices were applauded by local residents.
Top Neth, director-general of the GDI, which operates under the Ministry of Interior, requested that the services be added during the 8th Ordinary Meeting of the Steering Committee on Civil Registration, Civil Registration Statistics and Identification on March 18, according to a ministry statement.
Neth noted that the new service is part of the GDI’s efforts to modernise civil registry systems.
“Beginning in May 2021, the ministry established the first 24 commune-level OWSOs at 24 communes in Phnom Penh, Kep and Kampot provinces. They provided civil registry and National ID services,” he said.
“This mechanism functioned successfully and received the strong support of the public. People liked the new service, as it served as a ‘one-stop shop’’ for many services. The service was easy and convenient, and many documents and cards could be issued on site, as soon as people completed the required forms,” he added.
The GDI also worked with the General Department of Health Technology, the Ministry of Planning’s National Institute of Statistics and the Phnom Penh Municipal Hall to trial a new system at 13 medical facilities in six communes of Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district. The trial period began in early November last year.
Neth explained that the trial involved the registration of birth, death and marriage certificates and that every newborn was provided with a Unique Identification Number (UIC). The UICs will be used by their recipients from birth to death.
Interior ministry secretary of state Pav Horm Phan urged the establishment of capital and provincial committees that would push for the implementation of increased services at the commune level. He suggested that the committees should be chaired by provincial governors.
Yang Kim Eng, president of the People Centre for Development and Peace, supported the expansion of services, noting that local authorities are experienced in these types of tasks.
“It is better for most people when services are expanded to communes. We have long delegated power to communes, but commune-level decision-making remains limited. It is far more convenient for the public when services are available close to their homes,” he said.
He believes that some powers of the central government should be decentralised, in order for local authorities to provide public services quicker and more easily. When services are brought closer to people, state affairs improve accordingly, he continued.
