Where we work: Indonesia
Introduction
The UN Millennium Campaign in Indonesia works to strengthen public awareness of the Millennium Development Goals through campaign and policy advocacy work which focuses on accelerating the progress of achieving MDGs.
Indonesia has made progress in reducing the population living below the international poverty line $1 a day from 20.6 per cent in 1990 to 7.5 per cent in 2006. However, about 14.15 per cent of the total population or approximately 31.53 millions of Indonesian in 2009 still living below the national poverty line. The country still faces many challenges, including impact of the recent global financial crisis, rising prices of commodity, natural as well as man-made disasters.
Inequalities and disparities at the sub-national level is a challenge to accelerate the achievement of MDGs for all. In Indonesia, Papua, East Nusa Tenggara and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam provinces are among the poorest regions despite the abundance of their natural resources.
Maternal and child mortality rates in Indonesia are relatively high compared to other countries in the Asia region. Furthermore, child malnutrition is a great challenge for some sub-regions of Indonesia. The gap between urban and rural access to safe drinking water and sanitation is still wide partly because unsuccessful reform and decentralisation in that sectors to meet the growing public demand for delivery of basic social services. The government expenditure on the health sector is among the lowest in ASEAN countries.
The Campaign has engaged in campaign and advocacy of MDG in Indonesia through a strategic collaboration with the UN Special Ambassador for MDGs in Asia and the Pacific (2003-2007) who was directly appointed by the UN SG and hosted by the Office of UN Resident Coordinator (UN RC) and UNDP Indonesia. The Ambassador, Erna Witoelar, had advocated and encouraged the development of a nationwide and holistic action plan for the MDGs globally by mobilizing development actors to hold their governments accountable for the achievement of the MDGs. In Indonesia, the Ambassador has extensively advocated and built synergies among different stakeholders to ensure the Goals are achievable by 2015.
Starting 2008, the Campaign works through the Office of UN RC to fulfill two broad goals: (1) to support Indonesian citizens’ efforts to hold the government accountable for the achievement of MDGs in Indonesia and (2) to strengthen the advocacy and campaign for policy practice change work of UN agencies to ensure that the Goals are achieved in all parts of Indonesia. To fulfill that, the Office of UN RC hosts a focal point to work on MDG advocacy and communicaton areas, with a responsibility to the UN RC and UNMC Deputy Director for Asia Pacific.
The Campaign is committed to strengthen the UNCT work to support the achievement of MDGs in three broad areas as stated in UNDAF 2006-2010 consisting of: (1) Strengthening human development to achieve the MDGs; (2) Promoting good governance; and (3) Protecting the vulnerable and reducing vulnerabilities. It will strengthen the UNCT to enhance policy options and strengthen the demand-side and supply-side strategies to accelerate the achievement of MDGs at national as well as provincial and sub-regional levels.
The Campaign has supported many innovative citizens and civil society initiatives to strengthen pressures on the government and elected leaders to fulfill their promises, including during the national election in 2009.
Collaboration among the Campaign, UNDP Indonesia and Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia (Kemitraan) was set up to strategically influence the parliamentary election as well as the presidential election in 2009. In the parliamentary election, this collaboration promoted MDG commitment among woman national parliamentary candidates through national as well as local media campaigns and dialogues to strengthen their electability among constituents. Together with other initiatives, the collaboration has resulted an increase of woman seats in national parliament from 11 per cent in 2004 to 18 per cent in 2009.
In addition to that, the Campaign promoted MDGs among presidential candidates during the presidential election campaign through CSOs initiatives as well as media campaign. The purpose was to call for their commitment to MDGs.
Supported by the UN system, the Campaign seeks to strengthen advocacy efforts with partners on key development issues.
Stand Up 2009
During Stand Up Take Action 2009, an estimated 3,754,587 people in Indonesia Stood Up against poverty. 128 events were organised and covered by the media including music concerts and tree planting events. Local leaders in Jakarta, Central Java, East Java and other provinces pledged their commitment toward the MDGs in front of their constituents, Members of Parliament.
Stand Up 2008
In 2008, about 7.5 million people in Indonesia participated in Stand Up Take Action Campaign demanding more and more effective actions of the Government to achieve MDGs.
