Public consultations are important tools which help elected bodies gather sufficient evidence and information to decide policies or laws and to oversee the implementation of these measures. Public consultations enable people to express their opinions, which are then taken into account and considered by local governments.  Public consultations have occurred in Viet Nam since the 1980s in the form of gathering views on the Constitution, on draft laws and ordinances and on issues of interest to the people. Public consultations are regulated under the Law on the Promulgation of Legal Documents (2008). In 2008, the Office of National Assembly (ONA)/United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project entered its third phase and started a project to enhance public consultations at both the National Assembly and Provincial People’s Council level. Through the piloting of the public consultations, there comes a need for a manual guiding on the implementation and serving as a material for relevant trainings. Under the framework of the Project, the Manual on  Public Consultations for the Provincial People’s Councils had been developed.  

This manual is one of the core documents produced in the course of this Project. It is a source of reference, disseminating experiences and lessons learnt, and can be updated. It includes the following major contents: a definition of public consultations; an outline of the significance of public consultations; descriptions of the public consultation process; an outline of public consultation tools; details of skills useful in public consultations; detail on how to report on public consultations; and details on how to process information to serve the oversight and decision-making work of the People’s Councils. The manual is designed with the purpose of providing elected Deputies selective information on the current practices of People’s Councils.