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Press Release
24 May 2023
UN Headquarters Observes International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on 25 May
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Press Release
23 May 2023
New carpooling initiative to lead to greener, leaner UN in Indonesia
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Press Release
19 May 2023
Inauguration of the First PCBs Destruction Facility in Indonesia
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Indonesia
The United Nations is committed to working with the Government of Indonesia to building a nation that is prosperous, democratic, and just, where development benefits all people, and where the rights of future generations are protected. True to the promise of the SDGs to “leave no one behind”, the UN’s approach combines a strong focus on the poorest of the poor, combatting discrimination and rising inequalities and addressing their root causes. “Leaving no one behind” means prioritising people’s dignity and placing the progress of the most marginalised and vulnerable communities first. This central and transformative promise has become more important than ever to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and work towards a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive recovery.
Publication
30 May 2023
UN in Indonesia Newsletter 2023 Volume 1
We are pleased to present the first edition of the UN in Indonesia Newsletter for the year 2023. This newsletter provides an overview of the significant work carried out by the United Nations in Indonesia from January to April, highlighting our commitment to sustainable development and inclusivity.
In this edition, our focus is on SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. By fostering strong collaborations and partnerships between governments, private sector, and civil society, we aim to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and creating a better future for all.
Through the newsletter, we strive to bring the United Nations closer to the people we serve, ensuring that no one is left behind in our pursuit of sustainable development. It features inspiring stories from various UN agencies in Indonesia, showcasing their remarkable initiatives and efforts in promoting inclusivity and advancing sustainable development goals.
One of the featured projects in this edition sheds light on the vocational training program at the Tangerang Class IIA Correctional Facility. With the support of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), this program equips prisoners with essential skills to facilitate their successful reintegration into society after completing their sentences. It exemplifies our commitment to empowering individuals and contributing to positive social change.
As we navigate the post-pandemic era, it is imperative that we make up for the lost time and expedite our efforts towards achieving the SDGs. By strengthening our collective impact and forging new pathways, we can create a more sustainable and inclusive world for present and future generations.
You can access the downloadable newsletter in both English and Bahasa Indonesia below of this page.
Together, let us make a lasting difference and work towards a world where everyone can thrive.
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Take Action
05 May 2023
Nakba Day
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the mass displacement of Palestinians, known as “the Nakba” or “the Catastrophe”. This anniversary puts the spotlight on the world’s longest-standing protracted refugee crisis, as over 5.3 M Palestine refugees still live amidst conflict.
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Press Release
24 April 2023
Thousands are Gathering at UN Data Forum to Find Bold Solutions for Leveraging the Power of Data, Central to Achieving the SDGs
Hangzhou, 24 April 2023 – With most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) still far from being achieved at this mid-point of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, over 2,000 data experts from 140 countries are gathering in Hangzhou, China in person — almost 20,000 people will participate virtually — at the 2023 UN World Data Forum from 24 to 27 April to find solutions for equitable and open access to data. Better data is central to accelerating progress towards the SDGs and addressing the multiple crises that are threatening poverty eradication, food security, the environment and peace and security.
“We can’t carve out effective solutions to the problems we’re facing if we don’t fully understand the who, what, when, where, and why of the sources and the impacts. We need robust data that can give us the insights we need,” said Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, and head of the Forum secretariat.
“By convening such a diverse range of practitioners across the global data and statistics landscape, this Forum can help generate the solutions, partnerships and pathways that we need to better leverage data for decision-making and bring the world closer to achieving the SDGs.”
The rapid expansion in new sources of data – from national statistical offices (NSOs) to citizen-generated data and private sector data for public good – are creating large-scale opportunities for innovative approaches and partnerships for better data to achieve a more sustainable future for all.
The fourth of its kind and the first to be held in the Asia-Pacific region, the 2023 UN World Data Forum will bring together major data producers and users of data from NSOs, policymakers, the geospatial community, business, civil society and scientific institutions to collaborate and launch innovative initiatives that will deliver better data on health, education, climate, natural resources, gender, human rights, refugees and other aspects of sustainable development.
“The theme of the 2023 UN World Data Forum 2023 is ‘Towards Data that Empowers Our World’ which emphasizes the impact of data on improving lives and societies while highlighting the enormous value of data resources,” said Mao Shengyong, Deputy Commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics of China.
“The forum will be an opportunity for in-depth discussions and expanded cooperation amongst global statistics and data communities who will join hands to shoulder the responsibilities of the digital era and charter the future of digital civilization.”
High-level plenaries of the Forum will address the use and value of data for better policymaking; the value of innovation for timely and broader disaggregated data; public transparency and rights to privacy; the difficulties in establishing partnerships across different data ecosystems while addressing digital infrastructure; and the national and international data and statistical capacities.
Core Issues
The 2023 UN World Data Forum will focus on core issues related to the following four themes:
Data provides the insight we need to ensure a sustainable and safer future for all.
Partnerships and innovation are key to data equality and ensuring that no one is left behind.
We all have a responsibility to ensure data and statistics are used ethically to protect privacy and data rights.
Resilient national data ecosystems need support, including sustainable funding, to ensure they are fit for the future, and everyone benefits.
About the UN World Data Forum
The 2023 UN World Data Forum is hosted by the National Bureau of Statistics of China and the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, with support from the Statistics Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). The UN World Data Forum was agreed upon by the UN Statistical Commission based on a recommendation by the UN Secretary-General’s Independent Expert and Advisory Group on a Data Revolution for Sustainable Development. Improved use of data and statistics will be crucial to achieving the transformational vision of a better future for people and the planet, set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by world leaders at the UN in September 2015.
For Media: More information can be found on the media page at UNDataForum.org, or on Twitter @UNDataForum.
The Plenary sessions will be livestreamed on: https://oep.unwdf2023.org.cn/en
Media contacts:
United Nations Information Centre Indonesia
Miklos Gaspar, email: miklos.gaspar AT un.org
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Publication
17 April 2023
The United Nations Joint Programme— Accelerating SDGs Investment in Indonesia (ASSIST) Newsletter 2nd Edition
The ASSIST Joint Programme brings in UNDP, UNICEF, UNIDO, and UNEP, in a collaborative endeavor to support the acceleration of Indonesia’s SDGs investment. This support will be delivered by 1) taking proven and new financing instruments to scale through provisions of pre- and post- transactions technical assistance for innovative financing instruments; and 2) providing capacity building to relevant stakeholders to improve institutional capacities to access and utilize finance towards the achievement of the SDGs.
What's in the ASSIST Newsletter 2nd Edition:
Indonesia's 1st SDG Bond Allocation and Impact Report Publication
Building Subnational Government’s Capacity to Develop Child-Focused Social Protection Programmes
SDGs-Linked Loan: Addressing the Financing Gaps and Sustainable Shrimp Farming Practices in Indonesia
UNIDO’s Industrial Upgrading and Modernization in Indonesia: Fostering Creativity, Innovation and Sustainable Practices among MSMEs
Blue Finance Accelerator: Accelerating SDGs-aligned Investment in Indonesia’s Blue Economy
UNDP's Impact Measurement and Management Training: Helping Businesses to Sharpen their Goals through Impact
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Publication
01 August 2022
UN in Indonesia Newsletter Volume 5 2022
Dear readers,
Welcome to our latest edition.
Our world faces multilayered challenges: climate change, COVID-19, complex conflicts, and rising inflation. We have seen COVID-19 cases multiplying in Indonesia in recent months, at the same time as the war in Ukraine has disrupted food security and inflation is skyrocketing.
Globally, there is sufficient food, energy, and finance for every country to make it through the interconnected crises created by this war. Still, profound inequalities and distribution and logistics problems are causing millions of people to suffer needlessly.
Solving these crises calls for coordinated action across the board. On July 22, the UN helped foster Ukraine and Russia’s deal to resume Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea that UN Secretary-General António Guterres called “a beacon of hope” in a world that desperately needs it. Earlier this year, the Secretary-General formed a group of champions comprised of six eminent world leaders – including President Joko Widodo – as part of the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) for immediate action to avert the looming crisis. The Champions are charged with advancing a global consensus on measures to prevent, mitigate and respond to the crisis.
This week’s newsletter edition contains a profile of GCRG and its four urgent areas of action. There are also highlights from UN agencies in Indonesia’s efforts to fast-track recovery from COVID-19. For example, UNICEF is calling for urgent action to address the learning crisis as Indonesian children return to school. Meanwhile, ILO joined forces with the hospitality industry to mainstream COVID-19 risk assessment services. This will help businesses including hotels to implement action plans that minimise the risks of virus transmission in the workplace.
We hope the work highlighted in this edition serves as an inspiration for us to work together and empower those who are at risk from these crises while leaving no one behind.
Thank you, and happy reading.
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Story
23 March 2023
Farmers in Eastern Indonesia Learn Ways to Turn Poor Land to Productive Use
NAGEKEO, FLORES ISLAND, INDONESIA – What is the link between manure and university education? Conservation agriculture, say Seferinus We’e and Krensensiana Nasa, a farming couple on the bucolic Eastern Indonesian island of Flores. Participants in a project supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and its NGO partners, Mr We’e and Ms Nasa have managed to increase their yields and income three and a half fold.
Through terracing and intercropping, they have put an end to erosion of their land in Nangaroro, located on a steep hill overlooking the Indian ocean. Through capturing the manure of domestic animals and using it as organic fertilizer on their conservation agriculture plots, their corn yield has increased from two tons per hectare to seven. And in that surplus corn, which they sell for cash, lies the linkage between manure and education: their two oldest children are now at university in Jakarta.
“We could have never been able to afford that,” says Mr We’e, a former subsistence farmer, who now grows sweet potatoes, beans, corn and leafy vegetables such as pok choy for sale.
“Our food is guaranteed year-round and we have a regular income on top of it,” Ms Nasa adds. Forming terraces on their steep slopes took some work, but it paid off, as did keeping formerly freely roaming cattle and goats in animal pens, so that their manure can be collected and applied as organic fertilizer.
Scaling up
Local agriculture authorities have taken notice, too. As of the start of 2023, the technique promoted in a handful of villages by FAO through local implementation partner the Independent Farmer Partners Foundation (YMTM), is mainstreamed and made accessible to all farmers cultivating marginal lands, says Oliva Monika, Head of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Nagekeo District Office.
“These are very impressive results, and we have decided to roll out the methodology throughout the district,” she says. “YMTM will be overseeing this work.”
The Nagekeo district has around 21,000 farmers, and around 10% of them work on marginal land: agricultural areas less suitable for growing plants. Either the land is too steep, like in Nangaroro, with rainfall gushing down on natural slopes causing the loss of the top most, fertile soil, or the land is completely flat, with rainwater having nowhere to flow – turning what could be rich agricultural areas into wetland.
This has been the case for Amandus Buiu, a small-scale farmer in Wolowae, who could only plant rice on his one-acre plot that often gets flooded, rather than corn or horticultural products, which fetch a higher price.
Mr Buiu’s flat plot, with a slope of around 2%, now has small drainage canals to guide excess rainwater the soil cannot absorb down to the nearby creek, while intercropping of corn with beans means that there is enough shade, moisture and natural fertilizer from leaves in the soil for both plants to thrive. In the meantime, he has kept a rice paddy at the end of his plot, closest to the creek. “I am still experimenting with what balance of crops will work the best,” he says.
Supporting farmers, sustaining the environment
The support was much needed in Nagekeo, part of East Nusa Tenggara Province, one of the five least developed areas of Indonesia. Most of these provinces are agricultural, and moving farmers out of subsistence agriculture into generating an income is a key goal of the government, said Wayan Tambun, Project Manager at FAO Indonesia. “The methods we introduce – and our local partners help the farmers implement – conserve the land and resources, while increasing yields and incomes,” he says.
In another marginal area, Rendubutowe, where high elevation means much lower rainfall, FAO partners World Neighbors and VECO Indonesia have introduced to farmers the idea not only of terracing and the use of hedgerows to conserve soil and water but also of planting trees in order to minimize water run-offs in the rainy season and limit water shortages in the dry season. Farmers have moved from slash and burn agriculture and shifting cultivation to permanent farming. As a result of the new practices, the land in many areas is now covered by forests, providing natural erosion and flood control, carbon storage, and giving rise to new water springs.
“Before, our land was barren and infertile and could be used for agriculture only 5-7 months per year,” says farmer Andontius Pati. Twenty-five years later, his farm now consists of terraced land and areas with mahogany and gmelina trees, whose seeds and firewood he can also sell. “Before, I had to move the farm to a new piece of land because once there had been three harvests, the soil was no longer fertile,” he says. “But with terracing, and the use of leaves from leguminous crops as green manure, my harvest kept on increasing.” His “family forest,” as he calls it, ensures that the local creek never dries out and there is water in the soil year-round.
Life has much improved for the farmers who participate in the programme. Inheriting marginal land is no longer a curse, Mr We’e says. Now he can even think of taking a trip outside the province, he added:
“With our older children now in Jakarta, we hope we can go and visit them.”
A version of this story was published on the FAO website on 3 April 2023.
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Story
26 January 2023
Candlenut, chili and chickens: UN facilitates rural economic transformation in Eastern Indonesia
INEGENA, FLORES ISLAND, INDONESIA – Wilfridus Ngala had a vision – to turn his village of 1100, most of them subsistence farmers, into an agricultural powerhouse with its own food processing industry and exports. Sounds far-fetched? It isn’t. After just a year of support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, signs of progress in this community amidst the central hills of Flores Island are clear to see: formerly baren lands converted into horticulture fields, and chickens clucking along previously tranquil village roads.
“Our village now has a future, and many young people have decided to stay and participate in the new agriculture projects,” says Viktorinus Roja, 30, who learned chicken farming last year and has been elected the head of the village enterprise association known by its Indonesian acronym as BUMDES. “A year ago I was thinking of moving on to find work in a city. But I’ve decided to give Mayor Ngala a chance.”
Building long-term economic success
Inegena is one of 1110 Indonesian villages supported through IFAD’s Integrated Village Economic Transformation Programme (TEKAD), which puts enhancing governance and community engagement in the use of village resources for local economic and social development at the heart of planning. In the case of Inegena and 19 other villages in the Ngada district on Flores Island, it is helping villagers design business plans and long-term development strategies, and submit applications for funding to the Rp 68 billion (US$ 4.3 billion) national Village Fund, managed by the Ministry of Village. TEKAD has hired a team of experts who work with the villagers. The funding mostly comes not from a grant but a loan, which the government and the villages will need to pay back from the proceeds of the increased economic activity.
“Many times in rural Indonesia, money is not the issue. Insightful planning to build the basis for long-term economic success is,” says Harlina Sulistroyini, General Director of Economic Development and Investment at the Ministry of Village. “Places like Inegena are proof of what small funding and big ideas can achieve jointly.”
The key, Ms Sulistroyini adds, is for communities to focus on a single product where they have economic and market advantage. In the case of Inegena, villagers with TEKAD support drew up a business plan to improve the harvesting and start local processing of candlenuts, the village’s main commodity and future cash-crop. Until recently, each farmer harvested the nuts, cleaned them manually and took them to the local market. As a first step in the transformation process, they are now banding together to fetch better deals from buyers. Equally importantly, villagers no longer need to make the one-hour journey to town and spend hours selling their produce – the buyers now come to the village.
Oil extracted from candle nuts, which taste a bit like walnuts but softer on the palate, are used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries as raw material.
The ministry will support purchase of a machine to replace the manual labour now required to peel the nuts, and will also provide funding for the village to buy a machine to extract the nut’s oil, Ms Sulistroyini says. By selling the oil rather than the nuts will enable the village to keep more of the revenues from the candlenut value chain. “We want to support villages with the vision and the potential,” she adds. “Inegena is a small village but one day it will go international – as long as they keep the focus.”
Once the villagers have the oil extraction machine in place, planned for late 2023, they will also be able to process candle nuts harvested in neighbouring villages, Ngala says. “We are planning to become a local centre.”
Increasing production, finding markets
While the focus in the village’s economic transformation plan is on candlenuts, there are other products where locals see potential: they used Rp 152 million (US$ 9600) from the Village Fund to increase the cultivated area around the village by 50%. Fields formerly filled with shrubs have been converted into horticulture plantations. Most of the chili, eggplants and cabbage grown is sold at the local market.
Farmer Bonevasius Redo has already managed to extend his bamboo house from the additional income he earned during the last growing season. Thanks to the new opportunities at home, he moved back to Inegana after working on an oil palm plantation on Borneo for years. He now earns around 5 million Rupiahs a month (US$ 320), compared to just 3 million (US$ 190) at the planation. “We can now lead a life here by growing vegetables and chili,” he says.
Chickens and food security
The aim of the chicken scheme, which convinced Mr Roja not to move to the city, is primarily to improve food security and nutrition by providing a stable protein intake to the community – as well as income from selling the surplus. There are now 2400 chickens in the village, up from a few hundred two years ago.
The goal of TEKAD is to provide support in economic transformation to interested villages in the five poorest provinces in Indonesia, including East Nusa Tenggara, where Inegena is located. Through hiring and training local facilitators to work with the villagers, it ensures that there is buy-in from communities towards long-term planning. “In order to create the foundations for development that is sustainable, villages need to spend money on projects that will have long lasting economic benefits, rather than simply spending the Village Fund’s money each year on ad hoc initiatives,” says Anissa Pratiwi, Country Programme Officer at IFAD’s Jakarta office. “This fundamental change in approach requires learning and capacity building at the village level.”
The change is sorely needed, as presently only 10% of the Village Fund is used to support rural economic development. TEKAD helps to change that by increasing technical skills and the market information available to villages, along with guidance and oversight in planning and implementation of projects. The villages it works in have a combined population of over 1.6 million – making it one of the UN projects with the largest reach in Indonesia.
TEKAD is funded jointly by IFAD and the government, with the government taking the lead in implementation. “We are using TEKAD not only to help the participating villages develop but to also show other communities in these regions an example for long-term, sustainable economic development,” Ms Sulistroyini says.
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Story
24 January 2023
Sexual harassment measures implemented in Indonesia polytechnics with ILO support
Four vocational polytechnics in Indonesia are the first in the country to put in place measures to prevent and address sexual harassment and violence, following support from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
It follows a new government requirement to put in place formal procedures to protect young women and men at learning institutions. The government hopes the measures will help change attitudes on sexual harassment among the country’s future workforce.
“Women’s rights are human rights, and in our school, both men and women, teachers and students are working together to make sure all can study and eventually work in dignity,” said Marike Alelo, Director of the Manado State Polytechnic, in North Sulawesi. “I hope that the procedures we have developed in consultation with our staff and students will help other schools in complying with the Ministerial Regulation.”
Polytechnics in Surabaya, Semarang and Batam also benefitted from ILO support.
Today (24 Jan 2023), at a ceremony in Jakarta, the government and ILO launched the Training Manual on Mainstreaming, and Prevention and Handling Sexual Harassment in Vocational Education and Training Institutions for use by polytechnics that were not part of the pilot initiative.
Many young women choose to avoid programmes in male-dominated sectors such as the maritime industry. Fears of sexual discrimination, harassment and violence in study and workplaces, along with work schedules that are often not friendly to family life, are contributing factors to these decisions.
“The Indonesian government has recognized that tackling sexual harassment and violence in higher education will be instrumental to changing mindsets more broadly,” said Beny Bandanadjaja, Director of Vocational Polytechnics at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, which last year issued Regulation 30/2021 on the Prevention and Handling of Violence and Sexual Harassment in Higher Education. “These measures will help women, as well as men, at the institutions directly – and will also have a longer-term impact in the workplace, once our students graduate.”
Over 70 per cent of respondents in a recent ILO survey in Indonesia had experienced violence and harassment in the workplace. According to the National Women’s Commission, between 2015 and 2021 more than a quarter of reported cases of sexual harassment and violence at the workplace occurred in higher education institutions.
ILO support is provided under the Skills for Prosperity programme, funded by the UK government, which aims to increase the national capacity to achieve sustained and inclusive growth through the enhancement of skills development.
“To unleash the potential of both women and men in Indonesia, we all need to learn how to create safe, harassment-free workplaces with mutual respects. Leaning technical skills is absolutely critical but that alone is not enough,” said Michiko Miyamoto, ILO’s Country Director in Indonesia.
The measures include legal procedures and support for victims and witnesses. They have been developed by task forces in each polytechnic, in collaboration with the provincial government, the local police and non-governmental organizations.
“This project is a great example of how gender issues are put at the heart of an increasing number of UN development projects in Indonesia, focusing on the needs, well-being and empowerment of women,” said Valerie Julliand, UN Resident Representative in Indonesia. “We need more projects like this in order to close the enormous global gender gap and meet the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and the empowerment of women.”
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Story
19 January 2023
Sulawesi city invests in disaster warning system with support from UN-Habitat and the ASEAN Secretariat
TOMOHON, NORTH SULAWESI, INDONESIA – Situated between two active volcanoes, being prepared for natural disasters comes second nature to the residents of Tomohon. With support from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat and the ASEAN Secretariat, the city’s leadership is looking to secure funding for an early warning system that could reduce response time in case of earthquakes, volcanic activity, or landslides.
“We currently face a long emergency response time – and our goal is to have a system like in Japanese cities, where sirens connected to automatic censors warn people in real-time,” said Jean D’Arc F. Karundeng, Head of Family Empowerment and Welfare in the city. When these censors feel a tremor, no matter how insignificant , they go off, alerting people to get out of their houses before they can feel the earthquake.
When Mount Lokon, one of the volcanoes on the city’s edge, erupted in 2011, 12,000 out of 100,000 inhabitants had to be evacuated. “We were lucky because nature gave us enough warning,” said city official Royke Roeroe, who headed Disaster Management Office at the time. “But this may not always be the case – and with earthquakes and landslides, it never is.”
The ring of fire
Indonesia, lying on what is often called the ring of fire, is the country with the highest number of seismic and volcanic events in the world.
Under current procedures, the mayor’s office is informed by national authorities when seismic or volcanic activity is detected, and then it needs to inform citizens. However, when the timing is crucial, this could cause delays, Ms. Karundeng said. Under the new setup the city is looking to develop, a digital early warning system would send text messages and sound the alarms.
Tomohon, which is dependent on the central government for 80% of its budget and needs more discretionary funding, knew it could not afford to build or procure such a system on its own. What it did not know was how to go about soliciting funding for it. Under the UN Habitat project, its officials acquired skills in drafting project documents for submission to potential donors.
Investing in sustainable urbanization
With the financial support of the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program Phase II, the ASEAN Secretariat (Connectivity Division), in collaboration with UN-Habitat, implemented a regional project to accelerate the implementation of the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Strategy (ASUS). UN-Habitat worked closely with eight cities across Southeast Asia to identify priority areas for urban interventions and supported them in articulating their needs and learning how to create viable project proposals.
“The urban growth in ASEAN is happening primarily in smaller and secondary cities, as Tomohon, where investments – even if relatively modest – can have a great impact on communities and accelerate sustainable urbanisation,” said Riccardo Maroso, Project Team Leader at UN-Habitat.
Tomohon zoomed in on issues to do with safety and security quite quickly in the process, Ms Karundeng recalls. “This is the main quality of life issue for our citizens, and portraying Tomohon as a safe destination will also help to allay the fears of tourists,” she said. North Sulawesi is a favourite destination of tourists from China, and Tomohon, with its cooler mountain climate, many flowers, hot springs and two volcanic peaks, and hopes to benefit increasingly from that. “We have tour operators who often question whether we are prepared for disasters and whether their tourists will be safe,” she said.
Being part of such an international programme has yielded further indirect benefits, Ms Karundeng added. “We saw the kind of projects other cities are working on, which gave us ideas for future work, as well as a network of peers to discuss various development issues with.” Tomohon officials were particularly interested in the project by Kep City in southern Cambodia on waste collection and recycling.
“Becoming more sustainable is the way of the future, and initiatives like ASUS are a great help for us in getting there,” she said.
***
A version of this story was published by the UN Habitat, here
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Story
09 January 2023
Sunshine, sea… and skills in tourism: ILO supports women in northeastern Indonesia in sustainable tourism development
BUDO and MARINSOW, NORTH SULAWESI – As the sun sets over the Celebes see and its orange glow turns the horizon gold, two dozen tourists snap photos and marvel at the view. Even for someone local, the sun setting on the volcanoes is extraordinary, said a mother visiting from a nearby town on a recent Friday afternoon at the pier of Budo, a village of 2400 perched on the ocean, 25 kilometers northeast of the regional capital Manado.
Thanks to support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and its partners, Budo has increased its income from tourism fivefold and now appears on the tourist trail. It is one of four villages supported by an ILO programme that helps rural communities diversify into sustainable tourism, providing skills to local entrepreneurs, mostly women.
Until a few years ago, the pier – about 300 meters long, crossing a mangrove forest to connect the village to the open sea – was dilapidated and used only by fishers leaving out to sea. Back then there was far more fish and no tourists, said Hani Lorens Singa, President of the Village Enterprise Association (BUMDES). Since then, fish stocks have shrunk and at the same time, with support from the government, the pier has been renovated and painted, benches and wooden huts added for the convenience of tourists, who against an entrance fee of 10,000 Rupiahs (US$ 0.65), can walk along and enjoy the view. Around a fifth of the visitors spend more – ordering local delicacies and drinks at the ticket counter with the occasional visitor also staying the night, Lorens Singa said. The food visitors order is prepared and delivered to the pier by whoever from among village association members is available.
“We share the work, we share the income – this is tourism at a human scale,” he added.
Many coastal villages in North Sulawesi province, in far northeastern Indonesia, are historically dependent on small scale fishing. Women in these communities typically do not have an independent income. The tourism project gives them not just work but also fulfilment, said Olfi Seli Budiman, one of the new tourism entrepreneurs in Marinsow, about an hour’s drive further east.
Marinsow is in a mining region, which the government named a ‘priority tours destination’ and is supporting financially with the goal of diversifying its economy. More than 50 villagers received small wooden bungalows on their plots to start bed and breakfast businesses, or homestays, as they are known in Indonesia. ILO, with local partners Klabat University and the Manado State Polytechnic, is helping to teach the skills needed, such as bookkeeping, cost calculation and marketing, hospitality and tourism.
“I was very surprised to learn that tourists prefer their sheet white and a diversity of meals,” said Yeni Alelo. Ms. Alelo and the other participants have also learned the importance of using hashtags in social media marketing posts, so that tourists looking for a place to stay in the area find them more easily.
“Many of the entrepreneurs we work with had never been tourists themselves, so without training, it is not obvious for them to know what tourists expect,” said Mary Kent, the ILO Chief Technical Adviser for the project. “Our support complements the government infrastructure that had been put in place to stimulate village tourism, providing the essential entrepreneurship skills to launch successful community micro-enterprises.”
The investment in skills for marketing and quality control in these communities is paying off, with about half of the few hundred tourists spending the night in Marinsow last year coming from outside the province, including an increasing number from abroad. Marinsow is a few kilometers away from the pristine beach, so before the homestays and additional services were developed, tourists had no reason to stop by. “All I could do is sell simple snacks on the beach,” Yvonne Kubis, a cook, said. “Now I cook full meals and deliver to their homestays.”
The women’s small businesses are financed through microfinance credits, and they have been able to make all the payments on time, said Gabriel Tamasengge, the village’s mayor. “We are very proud of our women, of the business acumen we never knew they had.”
Skills for prosperity
The village tourism project is part of the Skills for Prosperity Programme, funded by the United Kingdom, supporting sustained and inclusive growth through skills development in three Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia. Its goal is to increase employability, employment and livelihood opportunities of beneficiaries.
To ensure sustainability of the programme, and to eventually reach more than the initial four supported villages, the ILO has trained local trainers, including staff from higher education institutions Manado State Polytechnic and the University of Klabat. Tourism specialists at project partner University of Gloucestershire in the UK have also contributed to the capacity building of these delivery institutions, helping to integrate the community focus into their standard curriculum and study programmes.
The support to the villages illustrates well ILO’s approach in Indonesia, said Michiko Miyamoto, Country Director. “Our Decent Work programme focuses on social dialogue, job creation and enhancing the protection of vulnerable workers,” she said. Furthermore, it also contributes to the UN in Indonesia’s National Blue Agenda Actions Partnership with the government in support of the sustainable development of the ocean and coastal communities, Ms. Miyamoto added.
North Sulawesi has 150 coastal villages with tourism potential, according to the regional government. Despite the improvements, a lot still remains to be done, said Lorens Singa in Budo, which was the winner of the digital marketing category at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy’s Top 50 Village Tourism Award this year. “We need to offer more reasons for people to stay for a meal or overnight.”
One option could be offline marketing to get more foreign tourists from nearby world-class diving destinations within the Bunaken Marine Park to hop over for an evening meal and a visit to a typical village, off the map of mass tourism. They plan to offer cooking and handicraft classes as well as fishing trips. As occupancy starts to grow, they also want to build more homestays, Lorens Singa said.
“Our task now is to make sure that when the funding from ILO and the government stops, we will have a fully formed business that allows us to stand completely on our own feet,” he said. “We had the vision, and we have the commitment – I am confident we will succeed.”
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A version of this story was published on the UN News website 7 Jan 2023
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Press Release
24 May 2023
UN Headquarters Observes International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on 25 May
UN Headquarters will observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers and mark the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping on Thursday, 25 May.
In 1948, the historic decision was made to deploy military observers to the Middle East to supervise the implementation of Israel-Arab Armistice Agreements, in what became the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.
Since that time, more than two million peacekeepers from 125 countries have since served in 71 operations around the world. Today, 87,000 women and men are serving in 12 conflict zones across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Indonesia is currently the 8th largest contributor to UN Peacekeeping with more than 2,700 military and police personnel deployed to Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Mali, South Sudan and the Western Sahara. During formal ceremonies at United Nations Headquarters, Secretary-General, António Guterres, will lay a wreath to honour the more than 4,200 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948. He will also preside over a ceremony in the General Assembly Hall at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals will be awarded posthumously to 103 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year. Among the peacekeepers to be honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold medal is one from Indonesia: 2nd Corporal Jarot BUDI UTOMO who served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The Secretary-General will also present the 2022 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award to Captain Cecilia Erzuah, a military officer from Ghana who served with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Created in 2016, the Award “recognizes the dedication and effort of an individual peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security”. In his message, the Secretary-General said: “United Nations peacekeepers are the beating heart of our commitment to a more peaceful world. For 75 years, they have supported people and communities rocked by conflict and upheaval across the globe. Today, on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, we honour their extraordinary contributions to international peace and security.” Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said: “Peacekeeping is a powerful example of how strong partnerships and collective political will can result in meaningful change. Working together with local communities and other partners, our personnel protect civilians, advance political solutions, and help end conflicts in the pursuit of sustainable peace. We appreciate the support of all stakeholders to ensure that UN Peacekeeping can continue to work as an effective multilateral tool for global peace and security.” The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the UN General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
# # # # # Media Contacts: Douglas Coffman, Department of Global Communications -+1 (917) 361-9923, e-mail: coffmand@un.org; or Oana Raluca Topala, Department of Peace Operations e-mail: topala@un.org For more information, please visit the Peacekeepers Day websites here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/peacekeepers-day; or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/international-day-of-peacekeepers-2023 * * * * *
Indonesia is currently the 8th largest contributor to UN Peacekeeping with more than 2,700 military and police personnel deployed to Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Mali, South Sudan and the Western Sahara. During formal ceremonies at United Nations Headquarters, Secretary-General, António Guterres, will lay a wreath to honour the more than 4,200 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948. He will also preside over a ceremony in the General Assembly Hall at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals will be awarded posthumously to 103 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year. Among the peacekeepers to be honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold medal is one from Indonesia: 2nd Corporal Jarot BUDI UTOMO who served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The Secretary-General will also present the 2022 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award to Captain Cecilia Erzuah, a military officer from Ghana who served with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Created in 2016, the Award “recognizes the dedication and effort of an individual peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security”. In his message, the Secretary-General said: “United Nations peacekeepers are the beating heart of our commitment to a more peaceful world. For 75 years, they have supported people and communities rocked by conflict and upheaval across the globe. Today, on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, we honour their extraordinary contributions to international peace and security.” Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said: “Peacekeeping is a powerful example of how strong partnerships and collective political will can result in meaningful change. Working together with local communities and other partners, our personnel protect civilians, advance political solutions, and help end conflicts in the pursuit of sustainable peace. We appreciate the support of all stakeholders to ensure that UN Peacekeeping can continue to work as an effective multilateral tool for global peace and security.” The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the UN General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
# # # # # Media Contacts: Douglas Coffman, Department of Global Communications -+1 (917) 361-9923, e-mail: coffmand@un.org; or Oana Raluca Topala, Department of Peace Operations e-mail: topala@un.org For more information, please visit the Peacekeepers Day websites here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/peacekeepers-day; or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/international-day-of-peacekeepers-2023 * * * * *
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Press Release
23 May 2023
New carpooling initiative to lead to greener, leaner UN in Indonesia
The UN in Indonesia today joined a UN carpooling initiative aimed to decrease its carbon footprint and its contribution to congestion on Jakarta’s roads. The move is part of the UN Secretary General’s reform effort to align the UN with today’s realities.
Indonesia is among the first countries in Asia where the UN has launched a ride sharing scheme in a non-emergency situation. It is expected to increase operational efficiencies and avoid certain costs.
The carpooling initiative promotes environmental sustainability through ridesharing, which participants can book through a mobile application. It offers on-demand transportation for UN staff, encourages car sharing among various UN agencies, and thereby boosts operational efficiency.
“The UN reform calls for increased efficiencies in our operations to save money for our Member States and leave more funding for substantive development work,” said Valerie Julliand, the UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia. “Furthermore, the UN wants to set the right example in being more conscious in our transport choices: where and when we can, we will share our resources.”
The first ride under this initiative took place on 23 May, when the car and driver of the UN Information Center (UNIC) took a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) official from UN offices in Central Jakarta to another UN agency, located Setiabudi and back. Seven UN agencies are participating in the project initially: the International Labour Organization, the UN Development Programme, the UN Information Centre, the United Nations Population Fund, UNOPS, UN WOMEN as well as the Resident Coordinator’s Office.
Experience from other locations where the UN has already implemented such a scheme suggests that it can generate cost savings of around US $5,500 annually for each participating agency. The efficiency gains achieved by this initiative from 700 global locations in 2022 was $3.75 M.
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Press Release
19 May 2023
Inauguration of the First PCBs Destruction Facility in Indonesia
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF), with support from the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), has taken a major step today towards meeting Indonesia’s obligations under a key international convention and ridding the country of a toxic chemical, whose use has been banned worldwide. The opening of the country’s first facility to treat, in an environmentally friendly fashion, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a highly carcinogenic substance, will help the country get rid off 200,000 tons of the substance and another 600,000 tons of PCB-contaminated materials.
Indonesia’s commitment to support the achievement of the global target of PCB elimination by the end of 2028 was highlighted by the Director General of Solid Waste and Hazardous and Toxic Wastes Management, Rosa Vivien Ratnawati, SH, M.Sc, during the launch and inauguration of the PCB Wastes Destruction Facility located at PT. Prasadha Pamunah Limbah Industri Industrial (PPLi) in Nambo Village, Bogor Regency, West Java Province. "Today, 22 years since the adoption of the Stockholm Convention and 14 years since ratification, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry affirms that there has been no change in that commitment. In fact, the commitment has only grown stronger and will soon be integrated and implemented through the strengthening of various national mechanisms related to environmental management performance monitoring, including through the PROPER mechanism."
PCBs are highly hazardous and toxic compounds that are still present in electrical transformers and capacitors, especially in the dielectric oil contained in such equipment. Besides causing various types of cancer, PCBs can cause nerve damage, digestive system disorders, infertility and hormonal imbalances (including sterility). PCBs can contaminate soil, water and air for decades or even longer as they cannot be naturally degrade and eventually contaminate the food chain through bioaccumulation. Research conducted by several researchers from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the MoEF revealed PCB contamination in the Citarum, Ciliwung and Cisadane rivers. PCBs have contaminated dozens of economically-important fish species in rivers and coastal areas of Indonesia, and have even been detected in breast milk in several cities in Java and Sumatra.
The PCB Processing Facility inaugurated on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, is one of the important outputs of the technical cooperation "Introduction of an Environmentally-sound Management and Disposal Systems for PCBs Wastes and PCB-contaminated Equipment" funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and by technical assistance from UNIDO. The technology is environmentally sound for not emitting CO2 or toxic gases dioxin and furan. UNIDO globally promotes the use of non-combustion methods for PCB destruction as recommended by the Stockholm Convention, said Salil Dutt, UNIDO representative in Indonesia.
"UNIDO is committed to supporting the parties to the Stockholm Convention in eliminating PCBs by referring to the Best Available Technology (BAT) recommended by the Stockholm Convention, especially non-combustion methods. To date, UNIDO has supported the destruction of PCBs in 32 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and America through a cooperation scheme with the GEF. The total GEF Trust Funds managed has a value of more than US$ 80 million, and it has supported more than US$ 360 million in co-financing by key project partnersSo far, the total amount of PCB waste that has been treated with the support of the UNIDO-GEF project has been more than 24,000 tons and will continue to increase until the end of 2028," Dutt said.
The roadmap towards elimination of PCBs in Indonesian is challenging as a result of the high amount of PCB stockpile in the country. To manage this, a public-private partnership approach has been chosen by MoEF and UNIDO by collaborating with PT. Prasadha Pamunah Limbah Industri (PPLi) as the Operating Entity. PT. PPLi is an experienced waste processing company with activities in processing PCB waste dating back to 1997. PPLi has now been granted an official operating license to operate the facility. The public-private partnership between the Indonesian Government and PT. PPLi is an important mechanism to ensure sustainable operation of the PCB destruction facility following the end of the MoEF-UNIDO PCB Project by the end of September 2023. A business-to-business approach between PPLi and owners of PCB wastes will facilitate sustainable operation in providing competitive services to PCB waste producers, said Ms Ratnawati.
"The synergy between MoEF, UNIDO, the GEF and PPLi in the installation and operation of this PCB destruction facility is expected to yield lessons learned not only for Indonesia but also for other countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also important to emphasize that this synergy serves as a real support and solution for companies that produce and own PCB waste in Indonesia, particularly those who have a commitment to protect the environment towards sustainable and inclusive development." she said.
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Press Release
04 May 2023
Indonesia and Australia Boost Innovation in Asia Pacific with Pulse Lab Expansion
Indonesia and Australia are joining forces to transform Pulse Lab Jakarta (PLJ) into a regional innovation powerhouse. This pledge, announced during the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation for Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum 2023), marks a new era of collaboration and innovation in the Asia Pacific region.
With a decade of success, over 100 unique projects, and 50 new partnerships, PLJ is now set to become a key facility serving the Asia Pacific region. The expansion of PLJ into the United Nations Global Pulse Asia Pacific Hub is a concrete follow-up to the G20 Bali Leaders' Declaration. This positions Indonesia at the forefront of regional innovation initiatives and as a champion for the Secretary-General’s vision of a UN 2.0 - fit for the 21st century.
Commenting on the expansion, the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of National Development Planning of the Republic of Indonesia said, “Government of Indonesia is pleased to support the establishment and running of the first three years (2023-2026) of the United Nations Global Pulse Asia-Pacific hub”.
In addition, the Australian Government, a key supporter since 2015, pledged AUD $1,000,000 for the first year of operations. Australia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, H.E. Mitch Fifield said ‘We are delighted to support Indonesia’s leadership in the transition from Pulse Lab Jakarta to a new regional hub. Based on its own digital transformation journey Indonesia has much it can usefully share with the region’. This joint effort solidifies both countries' dedication to driving innovation and sustainable development in the Asia Pacific.
“This transformation marks a significant milestone in our quest for innovation and sustainable development. Indonesia and Australia’s steadfast commitment will empower the region to reach new heights and make significant contributions to a better tomorrow,” said Ms. Ayaka Suzuki, the Director of the Strategic Monitoring Unit in the Secretary-General’s Office.
The panel discussion at the STI Forum 2023 focused on how to scale innovation for impact, building on new research from Global Pulse and the UN Innovation Network in partnership with Member States. The research report will inform Global Pulse’s transformation strategy, ensuring future innovations leave a lasting legacy.
Launched in 2012 as a joint innovation facility between the United Nations and Indonesia, PLJ has evolved over the years, encompassing a wide range of support and expertise in data innovation, behavioral insights, and strategic foresight. This expansion builds upon PLJ's impressive track record, further advancing the development ecosystem in the region.
To celebrate PLJ’s achievements over the last decade and to mark the launch of the Asia Pacific hub, a launching event will be hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia, in June 2023.
About the Scaling Innovations for Impact Side Event at the STI Forum 2023
(Scaling Innovations for Impact’: How the United Nations can support Member States to expand promising ideas to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals)
The side event presents key findings of the ‘Scaling the Summit’ research and proposes recommendations for how the UN and its multi-stakeholder network can support innovations to reach scale for impact. The programme also showcase examples to illustrate successful innovation scaling practices, and bring together diverse voices from across the UN and other sectors on an inclusive, interactive forum to discuss shared experiences in scaling innovations.
This event is hosted by the Government of Finland, in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, the Government of Australia, the UN Innovation Network and UN Global Pulse.
About UN Global Pulse
UN Global Pulse is the Secretary-General’s Innovation Lab. The team works at the intersection of innovation and the human sciences to inform, inspire and strengthen the ability of the United Nations family and those it serves to anticipate, respond and adapt to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Contact: info@unglobalpulse.org
About Pulse Lab Jakarta
Pulse Lab Jakarta is a joint data innovation facility of the United Nations (Global Pulse) and the Government of Indonesia (via the Ministry of National Development Planning). Functioning as an analytic partnerships accelerator, the Lab operates in the problem, solution and identity spaces. As part of its mandate, PLJ is focused on catalyzing connections across the United Nations, governments, the private and development sectors, as well as civil society to support policies and action for effective development and humanitarian practice.
Contact: plj@un.or.id
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Press Release
07 March 2023
UN Calls All Stakeholders to Bridging the Digital Divide Between Men and Women as part of the International Women’s Day Observance
Yogyakarta, 7 March 2023 – The representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General in Indonesia, Valerie Julliand, visited Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) today and delivered a public lecture on the growing gender inequality including the digital divide between men and women. Under the theme of “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, Ms Julliand highlighted the importance of breaking stereotypes, biases, and structural barriers in realising gender equality, in an exchange with the Social and Political Science Faculty (FISIPOL) students and general public, as part of the International Women’s Day observance.
In Indonesia, according to the National Socioeconomic Survey 2020, nationally, the percentage of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) graduates in higher education is still low – 32% - and dominated by men graduates. According to UNESCO, 61% of women consider gender stereotype when looking for employment; 50% of women is least attracted to work in the STEM field because of men's domination. Meanwhile, globally, men are 21 percent more likely to be online than women, and that in the tech industry, men outnumber women two to one, with an even worse ration - five to one - in Artificial Intelligence.
To address these issues, the UN calls for action on several fronts, including closing all gaps in digital access and skills, removing systemic barriers and supporting women and girls’ participation and leadership in STEM education and careers, creating technology that meets the needs of women and girls, and addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Speaking at the lecture, Ms Julliand said “The UN system in Indonesia works with multiple stakeholders to provide access to digital entrepreneurship skills development, strengthening and pushing for an enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment, and promoting women and girls in STEM and innovation incubators, and continuously cultivating champions of change”.
Dean of FISIPOL, Dr. Wawan Mas’udi said, “We would like to thank UNRC Indonesia for coming to our Faculty. FISIPOL UGM has triple concerns (we called Triple Disruptions), which are COVID-19, Climate Change issues and Digital Transformation (Digital Revolution). It is a pleasure to us and we are very open to other opportunities that can lead us to cooperation and collaboration in the future”.
The public lecture was held with support from FISIPOL, Global Engagement Office and the Centre for Digital Society. As part of her visit to Yogyakarta, Ms Julliand also visited a few UN-supported programs e.g., the project of women-led startups, called Banoo which helps fish farmers de-risk their operations through an automation system and a platform that connects them to high-quality fish seed suppliers. This web/mobile app allows the farmer to monitor the whole process through a dashboard.
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Contact:
UN: Andri Suryo – UN Information Centre (+628118456709 andri.suryo@un.org)
UGM: Bagian Humas dan Media Fisipol UGM, 0822-2074-2201 (Alfian), email: fisipol@ugm.ac.id, alfiann@ugm.ac.id
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