Table 1 Basic characteristics of the participants

Age (years)

 Mean

44

 Minimum–maximum

33–63

Gender (n = 20)

 Male

6

 Female

14

Mean amount of time the respondent has been in their job (years)

8

Number of respondents who were in their agency prior to 2008 (n = 20)

7

Organisations of the participants (n = 20)

 Government (ministries or institutions belonging to a ministry)

12

 UN agencies

3

 NGOs

3

 Bi/multilateral cooperation

1

 Consultancies^*

1

Preferred language (n = 20)

 Lao

17

 English

2

 French

1