This assessment was produced under the initiative ‘Indigenous Voices: Communication for Empowerment (C4E) of Asia’s Indigenous Peoples’ in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The initiative emphasizes the role of communications as an empowering mechanism to enhance inclusive participation and governance.

As part of the overall effort to strengthen access to information and communication channels among indigenous and ethnic peoples in Asia, UNDP’s Regional Initiative on C4E provided support for an information and communication needs and opportunity assessment as a preliminary approach to identify strategic C4E priorities for Lao PDR. The study was conducted in 2009 in selected areas, and key findings describe the underlying challenges to access to information, and identify opportunities for ethnic peoples to voice their concerns through appropriate communication channels at the national and sub-national levels. The report outlines key recommendations and strategic actions to enhance C4E for ethnic peoples in Lao PDR with particular attention to specific policy and programme interventions.