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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
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Press Release
03 March 2023
UNESCO AND IGCN JOIN FORCES FOR THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN INDONESIA
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Press Release
23 February 2023
“Together We Say No”: United Nations in Indonesia ramps up its effort to prevent sexual exploitation and assault among frontline workers
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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
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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Publication
27 April 2022
United Nations in Indonesia Country Results Report 2021
This report highlights the cordial relationship between the Government of Indonesia and the United Nations System in working together to advance Indonesia’s development agenda and priorities, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and Indonesia’s National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2020-2024. The Report includes the progress and accomplishments to deliver four outcomes of the UNSDCF 2021-2025: (i) Inclusive Human Development; (ii) Economic Transformation; (iii) Green Development, Climate Change and Natural Disasters; and (iv) Innovation to Accelerate Progress towards the SDGs.
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Press Release
01 August 2022
World Breastfeeding Week: UNICEF and WHO Urge Greater Support for Breastfeeding in Indonesia as Rates Decline During COVID-19
Jakarta, 1 August 2022 – As World Breastfeeding Week begins today, UNICEF and WHO are urging the government and partners in Indonesia to support mothers with early, exclusive and continued breastfeeding amid a decline in breastfeeding rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to data from the 2021 National Basic Health Research Survey (RISKESDAS), 52.5 per cent – or only half of 2.3 million infants of less than six months of age – are exclusively breastfed in Indonesia, representing a 12 per cent decline from 2019. The early initiation of breastfeeding rate also decreased from 58.2 per cent in 2019 to 48.6 per cent in 2021.
Early and exclusive breastfeeding is crucial to child survival and protects children against childhood malnutrition as well as many common and life-threatening illnesses such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. Growing evidence shows that breastfed children perform better on intelligence tests, are less likely to be obese or overweight, and are less prone to diabetes later in life. Increasing breastfeeding globally could save more than 820 000 children each year and prevent an additional 20 000 cases of breast cancer in women annually.
Breastfeeding is even more critical now as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has strained the health system in Indonesia, making counselling and skilled lactation support far less accessible. A national survey by the Ministry of Health with support from UNICEF in 2021 found that less than 50 per cent of mothers and caregivers of children under the age of two received breastfeeding counselling during the pandemic. The situation has been worsened by ongoing practices of inappropriate marketing of breastmilk substitutes.
“Optimal breastfeeding practices are key to reduce stunting in children less than five years of age, to achieve the global and national target of reducing stunting by 40 per cent. Early initiation and continuation of exclusive breastfeeding for six months provides protection against gastrointestinal infections and necessary nutrients to prevent stunting," said WHO Representative Dr N. Paranietharan. “Continued breastfeeding after six months up to two years along with complimentary feeding is the most adequate and safest way to prevent growth faltering and ensure cognitive development in this critical phase of life," he said.
“Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to safeguard child and maternal health and provides all children with the best start in life," said Acting UNICEF Representative Robert Gass. “Amid the global pandemic, it is essential that all stakeholders continue to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, which is a proven life-saving strategy and the foundation for a healthy, smart and productive society."
In line with this year’s theme for World Breastfeeding Week, Set Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support, WHO and UNICEF are calling for greater efforts from a range of stakeholders – including government at national and sub-national level, policy makers across various sectors, media entities and communities – to support mothers to continue optimal breastfeeding practices and scale up investments needed to promote and protect breastfeeding. These include:
Making counselling available to all mothers and caregivers of children under the age of two through both face-to-face and digital platforms.
Revitalizing and scaling up the implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding at all levels of the health system that provide maternity and newborn services.
Strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.
UNICEF and WHO remain committed to support the government in protecting, promoting and supporting optimum breastfeeding practices by sharing tools and resources to help adopt the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, strengthening the country’s capacity to scale up access to quality breastfeeding counselling services, and generating evidence to foster stronger measures against inappropriate marketing of breast-milk substitutes.
During the pandemic, UNICEF and WHO encourage mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and who are isolated at home to continue breastfeeding and practice skin-to-skin contact with necessary hygiene precautions during feeding. Mothers also need to be supported to continue breastfeeding if their infant or young child becomes sick with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or any other illness.
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Press Release
27 July 2022
KOICA and UNOPS Partner to Strengthen Indonesia’s COVID-19 Response
The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), supported the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation in strengthening COVID-19 prevention measures in railway facilities across the country.
Since 14 December 2021, KOICA and UNOPS have been working to support the Government of Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation and the Jakarta Light Rail Transit (LRT), through the procurement of hygiene materials concerning railways safety, public health items for mass transportation, and audit and safety inspection equipment, to respond to the logistical and transportation challenges created by the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
The handover event - held at Hotel Harris in Bekasi on 26 July 2022 - marked the official delivery of all project items to the Ministry of Transportation. Attended by Dr. Edi Nur Salam, Director of Railway Safety for the Republic of Indonesia and Yun Gil Jeong, Country Director for KOICA Indonesia and others, the event included speeches by Dr. Edi Nur Salam and Yun Gil Jeong, as well as singing Indonesia Raya, prayers and the symbolic delivery of the KOICA Grant in the form of Safety Inspection Equipment, Occupational Health Equipment, and Health Equipment for train stations.
Project Impact:
Aimed at strengthening the COVID-19 response capacity of both LRT stations in Jakarta and railway facilities around the country, the project has sought to improve hygienic conditions for the public, and enable a safer working environment for Transportation Government Staff through the delivery of COVID-19 prevention items. The distributed items - which included Air Filtration Systems, Air Purifier Masks, Thermal Scanner Equipment, Oxygen Concentrators, and UV Light Sterilizers for escalators - are set to ensure early detection of cases, disinfect surfaces and limit the spread of infection through close contact; thereby minimizing the risks of possible transmission of the virus in stations. The new installations are expected to enhance the safety and support the work of 6,000 Transportation Government Staff, in addition to the estimated 315,075 passengers using LRT services every day.
With $660,000 in funding, the project represents Phase 2 of the Joint Partnership between KOICA and UNOPS, building on the previous work of Phase 1 that sought to support Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Health and the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) strengthen the country’s health infrastructure systems by equipping hospitals with medical equipment and medical supplies for COVID-19 patients. Through the procurement of N95 masks, PCR machines, testing kits, and more, Phase 1 was instrumental in helping the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Health, and BNPB in strengthening the health preparedness and COVID-19 response of the healthcare system in Indonesia, and effectively and timely prevent and treat COVID-19 cases.
Speaking about the project:
Mr. Yun Gil Jeong, KOICA Indonesia Country Director, said: “the donation of the distributed items is expected to strengthen the partnership of both countries by improving the hygiene of LRT and mass transportation in Indonesia. KOICA has a commitment to continue supporting the government of Indonesia in fighting the spread of Covid-19 in the LRT, in the train, and in the stations. “
Ms. Samina Kadwani, UNOPS Director for Indonesia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, said: “UNOPS, in partnership with the Korean International Cooperation Agency, is proud to contribute to the strengthening of public health systems in Indonesia through the efficient delivery of health and hygiene items that will protect both passengers and workers of railway facilities across the country. “
Mr. Zulfikri, Director General of Railways, said: “The Ministry of Transportation greatly appreciates the donation from KOICA and for sure, it will give high benefits for all passengers of mass transportation in Indonesia. We are thankful to KOICA for choosing the Ministry of Transportation as the partner of this grant.”
ENDS
Notes to the editors:
Photos of the project can be found here - credit: @UNOPS/KOICA
Press contact details:
KOICA: For media inquiries, please contact: Dian Mardiana, Program Manager (dianmardiana@overseas.koica.go.kr)
UNOPS: For media inquiries, please contact: Ffion Conlon, Communications and Partnerships Officer (ffionc@unops.org)
About KOICA: KOICA was established as a governmental agency of the Republic of Korea under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1991. It implements Korea's grant aid and technical cooperation programs for inclusive and sustainable development of partner countries. Main areas of operations include education, health, rural development, public administration, and technology environment and energy. KOICA manages its ODA programs through its country offices in 44 partner countries. Read more: http://www.koica.go.kr
About UNOPS:
UNOPS mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement in an efficient way. We respond to our partner’s needs in the world’s most challenging environments, by combining the best of the UN and the private sector, as we build foundations for countries to achieve sustainable development.
Read more: www.unops.org
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Speech
08 July 2022
Video Message by António Guterres to G20 Foreign Ministers “Strengthening Multilateralism"
Excellencies,
This G-20 meeting comes at an extremely challenging moment for multilateralism and global governance.
The international order is at risk of coming apart at the seams.
The climate crisis is close to the point of no return.
The COVID-19 pandemic has killed millions; hunger and poverty are rising; years of development gains are being lost.
A multi-faceted war is raging in the heart of Europe, in violation of the United Nations Charter.
New and evolving forms of conflict, including in cyberspace, require multilateral solutions and frameworks that do not yet exist.
Our unequal global financial system, designed by rich and powerful countries, is failing the developing world.
Poorer countries pay much higher borrowing costs than developed countries – and their economies are downgraded when they consider restructuring their debt or applying for debt relief.
Meanwhile, unequal access to vaccines has prolonged the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to continued suffering and death.
Excellencies,
Strengthening multilateralism – the theme of this session – is not a choice, but a necessity.
It is the only way to avoid widespread food shortages, deepening climate chaos, and a wave of poverty and destitution that will leave no country untouched.
I see three areas for urgent multilateral action:
The growing climate emergency; the food, energy and finance crisis; and the unequal recovery from the pandemic.
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The climate crisis is our number one emergency.
The battle to keep the 1.5-degree goal alive will be won or lost by 2030.
You represent the major economies – and 80 percent of global emissions.
The responsibility for preventing the worst impacts of the climate crisis rests largely on your shoulders.
Science tells us that global emissions need to decline by 45 percent below 2010 levels by 2030, to keep 1.5 degrees goal alive.
But current national climate pledges would result in an increase in emissions of 14 percent by 2030.
This is collective suicide.
We need a renewable energy revolution. Ending the global addiction to fossil fuels is priority number one.
No new coal plants.
No expansion in oil and gas exploration.
I have appealed for the creation of [coalitions] around emerging economies to provide financial and technical support, as they accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
Important progress is being made – but much more is needed on all fronts. Emerging economies must have access to the resources and technology they need.
Wealthier countries must finally make good on the $100 billion climate finance commitment to developing countries, starting this year.
We also need a radical boost for adaptation and early warning systems.
And access and eligibility frameworks must be reviewed, so developing countries, including middle-income countries, can get the finance they need on time.
Excellencies,
Second, the food, energy and finance crisis.
Around the world, the war in Ukraine is amplifying other crises and threatening to unleash social and economic devastation.
Food prices are at near-record highs. Fertilizer prices have more than doubled.
There is a real risk of multiple famines this year.
Next year could be even worse.
Without fertilizers, shortages could spread from corn and wheat to all staple crops including rice, with a devastating impact on billions of people.
Meanwhile, record high energy prices are already triggering blackouts and fuel shortages.
We need to work together to bring stability to global food and energy markets and support developing economies.
Ukraine's food production, and the food and fertilizer produced by Russia, must be brought back into world markets -- despite the war.
We are working to find a plan that allows for the safe and secure export of Ukrainian-produced food through the Black Sea, and unimpeded access to global markets for Russian food and fertilizers.
We have been coordinating closely with all parties, including many of your governments.
I thank you for your continued cooperation.
But even as we try to increase supplies, we need to make resources and fiscal space available now for the poorest countries and communities.
The global financial system must use all the instruments at its disposal, with flexibility and understanding, to achieve this.
Excellencies,
There is no solution to this finance crisis without a solution to the ongoing crisis of economic inequality in the developing world.
Which brings me to my third area for urgent multilateral action: the unequal recovery.
Many developing countries have suffered devastating economic losses during the pandemic, but cannot access finance for the recovery.
We need a New Global Deal to rebalance power and financial resources, and enable developing countries to invest in the Sustainable Development Goals.
The international debt architecture requires urgent reform.
We need an operational debt relief and restructuring framework that takes account of vulnerability.
We must also consider changes to credit ratings and the issuance of Special Drawing Rights.
And we need a serious effort to increase the number of countries that can produce Covid-19 vaccines, therapies and tests, by sharing licenses and providing technical and financial support.
Excellencies,
Our complex and interconnected world requires a multilateralism that is more effective, more networked, and more inclusive.
We need to combine the strengths of existing institutions to deliver together on humanity’s most pressing challenges.
I have put forward a number of ideas in my report “Our Common Agenda”.
One example:
I have proposed Biennial Summits to bring together the G20, the Economic and Social Council of the UN, the international financial institutions, and my office as Secretary-General, to work towards a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient global economy.
We are working closely with Member States to bring this, and many other recommendations from Our Common Agenda, to fruition.
I thank G20 members for your support and contributions.
Strengthening multilateralism is the only sustainable path to a peaceful, stable, prosperous world for all.
The United Nations was founded on these aspirations.
And the G20, representing 80 percent of global economic power, can make them a reality.
Thank you.
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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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Story
13 December 2022
More competitive, environmentally and socially conscious: eco-industrial parks take a foothold in Indonesia
Bucolic palm trees, manicured grass, a students’ choir greeting visitors – not one’s typical mental image of an industrial park. But MM 2100 Industrial Town, just outside Jakarta, is not your typical industrial park either. Or at least not yet. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has been supporting MM 2100 and has also been working, since July 2020, with the Ministry of Industry on a roadmap to create an incentivizing regulatory environment for industrial parks to become, like MM 2100, eco-industrial parks.
Just last month, UNIDO facilitated the issuance of a ministerial decree, establishing an inter-ministerial forum with the involvement of 11 ministries, led by the Ministry of Industry, to accelerate the development of eco-Industrial parks in the country. “This is an important milestone in order to create a system nationwide,” said Eko SA Cahyanto, Director General of Industrial Resilience, Region and International Access at the Ministry of Industry.
Indonesia currently has 138 industrial parks, which are the engines of economic growth in the country. Making them greener and more socially responsible will be an important step towards a more sustainable economy, Cahyanto added.
And a lot can be done, as the example of MM 2100 demonstrates.
Landfill use for domestic waste generated in the park has already decreased by between 30% and 40% per month due to our recent initiatives, said Susi Rahmawati, Manager of Customer Service and Legal Affairs.
“We have plans for a new recycling programme for domestic waste that will be more segregated, which is unique,” she said. “This programme, when implemented, will reward workers financially for bringing their household waste to our site for recycling.”
With close to 200 tenants employing a whopping 100,000 workers, the 805-hectare site is like a mini city with its own boulevards, power plant, hospital, banks, post office, restaurants and even a four-star hotel. Its latest initiatives include a composting programme and equipping its 1000 streetlights with energy-efficient LED lights. Its wastewater treatment plan, whose effluent is monitored remotely 24/7 by the Ministry of Environment, uses the latest food chain reaction treatment technology, installed only two years ago.
“We had a vision to be ecologically friendly from the outset,” said Tanaka Keisuke, the park’s Director. “But it takes expertise, patience and the right regulatory environment to make some of the changes.” The park is majority Japanese owned, and close to two thirds of its tenants are local subsidiaries of Japanese companies such as Honda, Yamaha, LG Electronics, Mitsubishi and Hitachi. Many tenants work in the automotive parts and electronics sectors.
Building the skills of the future generation
The pride of the park is not the energy efficient lighting or the environmentally friendly wastewater treatment plant though: “Our vocational training school, maintained by our tenant companies on a voluntary basis,” Ms Rahmawati said.
At the vocational school, known as SMK Mitra Industri MM2100, 2500 students learn practical skills in various disciplines: from assembling motorbikes, to programming robots and carrying out housekeeping duties at hotels.
“This will increase their employability, whether at one of the park’s companies or beyond,” she added.
The eco-industrial park concept brings benefits to companies, industrial park management and policymakers by supporting both local and national environmental and resource use goals as well as the economic development of countries, explained Salil Dutt, Chief Technical Adviser at UNIDO’s Jakarta office. “Eco-industrial parks are key drivers for inclusive and sustainable industrial development through working towards better environmental, social and economic performance,” he said.
The project is funded by the Swiss government via the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and supports industrial parks in six other countries as well: Colombia, Egypt, Peru, South Africa, Ukraine, and Viet Nam.
Working in complementary ways across the government
MM 2100 scores high against the International Framework for Eco-Industrial Parks, developed by UNIDO, the World Bank and Germany’s international development agency, GIZ. However, it would now be hard for it to further improve its performance under the framework, given the policy and regulatory constraints in place, Dutt said. For instance, its treated industrial wastewater cannot currently be re-used in the park itself but needs to be discharged into a local river, which means the park cannot decrease its freshwater use.
One issue is that regulations for various activities for industrial park are covered by several ministries and departments at the central and regional levels, and improvements often require consensus from many stakeholders within the government. With the new inter-ministerial forum established to accelerate the development of eco-industrial parks, various ministries can now work together in order to jointly review policies and regulations and make changes as necessary. At the first meeting of the inter-ministerial forum this week, representatives agreed to review the regulations within each ministry’s competence and propose changes.
“With the right governance model now in place, we expect an improved business environment for industrial parks within the next two-three years,” said Cahyanto.
Work on the ground will proceed in the meantime. In the three pilot industrial parks UNIDO is working with, MM2100, Batamindo Industrial Park in Batam and Karawang International Industrial City in West Jawa, a total of 25 tenant companies joined to implement UNIDO’s Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production approach and to explore industrial synergies to improve their environmental, social and economic performance beyond compliance, Dutt said. In the next phase of the project, UNIDO will extend support to two more parks.
“We are making progress step by step and will continue our work to create an enabling environment through developing a conducive policy and regulatory framework and at the same time showcasing the benefits of what transformation into eco-industrial parks means in practice,” Dutt said. “The changes are tangible – and will scale thanks to the government’s holistic approach.”
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This article was first published at: https://www.unido.org/stories/more-competitive-environmentally-and-socially-conscious-eco-industrial-parks-take-foothold-indonesia#story-start
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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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Press Release
03 March 2023
UNESCO AND IGCN JOIN FORCES FOR THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN INDONESIA
Recognizing that the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires a concerted alliance between intergovernmental organizations, governments, non-governmental organizations and private sector entities, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Indonesia Global Compact Network (IGCN) are joining forces to support the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology in Indonesia in order to strengthen and further develop the Indonesian Education system paving the way for achieving the 2030 Agenda.
On the 28th of February, UNESCO and IGCN signed a Framework of Agreement at the United Nations Office in Jakarta, in the presence of Ms. Valerie Julliand, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Indonesia and Dr Itje Chodidjah, Executive Chair of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Indonesia.
This partnership will enable the cooperation between UNESCO and IGCN to act as a catalyst to support efforts to improve access and quality of education in Indonesia through capacity-building and training for school principals and teachers to improve the school management, instructional and learning materials in line with the national curriculum.
UNESCO's work promotes a culture of peace, celebrates diversity and defends human rights while encompassing quality educational development from pre-school to higher education and beyond.
“In a world experiencing rapid change, and where cultural, political, economic and social upheaval challenges traditional ways of life, education has a major role to play in promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence. UNESCO has the belief that through programmes that encourage dialogue between students of different cultures, beliefs and religions, education can make an important and meaningful contribution to sustainable and tolerant societies”, said Mr. Mohamed Djelid, Director of the UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and UNESCO Representative for Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.
IGCN’s mission is to promote, facilitate and mainstream the implementation of the UN Global Compact 10 Principles in Indonesia covering the area of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. IGCN is committed to support the achievement of SDGs in Indonesia. IGCN believes that an equal and equitable improvement in the quality of education is required in order to achieve SDG4 (Quality Education for All).
“Human Development is one of the most critical requirements for the achievement of all the SDGs. Therefore, we need to urgently scale up these efforts, in a collaborative action with all actors. It is not only to accelerate the achievement of SDGs, but also to ensure that the sustainability approach will be continued by the next generation. It is a long-term investment. The IGCN’s “SDGs Thematic Focus” includes the SDG4 - Education Transformation program called “KUPUKU” a technology platform dedicated to address the current challenges in the Indonesian education system,” said Mr. Y.W. Junardy, President of Indonesia Global Compact Network.
UNESCO and IGCN hope that this partnership will inspire stakeholders, especially the private sector in joining this initiative to promote Intercultural Education in the interests of peace and understanding.
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Press Release
23 February 2023
“Together We Say No”: United Nations in Indonesia ramps up its effort to prevent sexual exploitation and assault among frontline workers
22 February 2023, Jakarta – The United Nations (UN) in Indonesia through the UN Agency for Migration (IOM), and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) recently launched “Together We Say No” – an initiative in mainstreaming the effort to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse among frontline workers in Indonesia.
First developed in 2022, this global initiative was developed by IOM, UNHCR, and Translators Without Borders (TWB) to better identify, respond to, and report sexual exploitation, and abuse, as well as become strategic allies in its prevention in the form of a communications/advocacy package. The initiative targets frontline workers who provide humanitarian assistance and interact with beneficiaries and community populations on a daily basis – such as drivers, security guards, enumerators, translators, aid distributors and financial service providers. The materials are in the form of illustrated print materials, audio messages and multimedia resources which have been made available in 22 languages, including Indonesian, and are ready to be distributed to frontline workers, and to other UN agencies and partners to use.
Speaking at the launch, the UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, Valerie Julliand, complemented this initiative for its relevance to the overall Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Harassment (PSEAH) Network and its work plan for 2023: “Parallel to the launch today, the PSEAH Network is implementing a robust annual work plan which, similar to this campaign, prioritizes further strengthening of coordination, capacity building, establishing an inter-agency community-based complaints mechanism prioritizing a victim-centred approach, and cross-cutting awareness-raising among UN personnel, implementing partners, and the wider communities we serve.”
The UN team in Indonesia has already taken concrete steps at the country level to uphold its commitment to zero tolerance for all forms of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. In 2022, IOM conducted a training of trainers and cascade training for its staff and implementing partners/ vendors. Awareness-raising sessions were also conducted at IOM-managed refugee accommodations. Aasavri Rai, Programme Officer at IOM in Indonesia stated IOM has a zero-tolerance policy to sexual exploitation and abuse and the launch of the Together We Say No campaign is part of IOM Indonesia's commitment to continue prevention and response efforts through raising awareness, capacity building, and collaboration with our partners and vendors.
The launch was supported by the United States Government in Indonesia including @America. It brought frontline workers and IOM’s refugee focal points together to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the PSEAH approach in Indonesia. A talk show was conducted following a brief presentation on the campaign materials by IOM. Speakers at the event included IOM, WFP Acting Country Director (Jennifer Rosenzweig), Resident Legal Advisor of the U.S. Embassy Jakarta (Kavitha J. Babu), and representative from the Indonesian Society for Disaster Management (Indah Putri).
With the campaign launched, the agencies will now move to adopting and implementing the resources in their respective organisations and tracking inter-agency, collective progress towards PSEAH across the country.
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Contact:
IOM: Aasavri Rai, arai@iom.int
WFP: Patricia Norimarna, patricia.norimarna@wfp.org
For further information about PSEA, please contact Aasavri Rai at IOM Indonesia arai@IOM.int.
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Press Release
15 December 2022
Bappenas and UN Global Pulse Launch the “Strategic Foresight: The Futures of MSMEs in Indonesia” Joint Report
15 December 2022, Jakarta — Today, the Indonesian Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) and United Nations Global Pulse (UNGP) hosted the “Strategic Foresight: The Futures of MSMEs in Indonesia” joint report launch in Jakarta. The report, which can be read here, presents the results of the horizon scanning activity conducted to identify potential emerging issues that can affect Indonesian MSMEs 10-20 years in the future.
MSMEs provide employment for 97% of Indonesia's total workforce or around 117 million workers, 64.5% of which are women. This sector is crucial and often considered the backbone of the Indonesian economy, however, as the recent pandemic and global crises has proven, they are particularly vulnerable to negative shocks. In times of high uncertainty and amidst rapid changes, it is vital to prepare for the unexpected, particularly as it relates to MSMEs.
In view of this, Bappenas and UNGP through Pulse Lab Jakarta (PLJ) and Pulse Lab Finland (PLF) collaborated to use the Strategic Foresight method to help anticipate what lies ahead. The foresight method is useful for thinking and acting in a long-term and anticipatory way, which is helpful for ensuring that likely scenarios and assumptions are integrated into policymaking. By utilizing the horizon scanning technique as one of the main foresight tools, several questions were addressed, namely what are the key emerging issues for the sector and what could potentially alter and disrupt the future of MSMEs as we currently envision it. Following a rigorous process, five drivers were identified: climate change, increasing sustainable economic partnerships, the rise of emerging sectors and change in consumer preferences, technology as a new way of working, and precarious work in the gig economy.
This event seeks to build a collective understanding of the importance of anticipatory and forward thinking approaches in policy planning. In his keynote speech, the Executive Secretary of National Development Planning, Mr. Taufik Hanafi, speaks of the importance of looking forward and strengthening MSMEs, “The business world, particularly MSMEs, are affected by a broad range of changes from production to marketing. We should see these changes as an opportunity for MSMEs to adapt their business processes by utilizing digital technology and undertaking various innovations. For this reason, we must have the ability to look forward, be visionary, and develop strategies that enable MSMEs to be more resilient and adaptive.”
UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, Ms. Valerie Julliand, also emphasized the importance of strategic foresight by stating that, “for policies to be effective […] they need to be rooted in the particular context in which they will be implemented. Strategic foresights are helpful in this regard as it enables anticipatory action and the design of more forward-looking policies.The UN will continue to support the Indonesian government in adapting innovative methods and to ensure that these methods are put to good use for the country and its people.”
With the launch of this report, Bappenas and UNGP invite various stakeholders to discuss the broader ecosystemic drivers that could potentially shape the futures of MSMEs in Indonesia, and to build a common understanding of how using foresight can support and strengthen policy planning moving forward.
For more information regarding our report please visit https://pulselabjakarta.org/ourwork/foresight or contact plj@un.or.id.
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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, Bappenas). Functioning as an analytic partnerships accelerator, the Lab applies mixed-methods approaches in the problem, solution and identity spaces, and is focused on catalyzing connections across the private sector, government and civil society to support policies and action for effective development and humanitarian practice.
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Press Release
20 December 2022
UN Recognizes Indonesian Effort to Restore Mangrove Forests with Special Award
The United Nations has recognized an initiative to protect Indonesia’s coast against flooding as one of 10 pioneering efforts to revive the natural world. The UN designated the push, which is using mangrove trees to form a natural barrier against the sea, as one of its inaugural World Restoration Flagships. These initiatives are eligible to receive UN support, funding or technical expertise.
Human activity has significantly altered three-quarters of the Earth’s land and two-thirds of its marine environment, pushing 1 million species towards extinction. The announcement came as leaders gathered in Montreal, Canada for the UN Biodiversity Conference, where governments from around the world will agree to a new set of goals for nature over the next decade. Talks are expected to include a potential global target for ecosystem restoration. Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands, is replete with mangrove forests, which are a haven for wildlife. They also help shelter coastal communities from rising seas and storm surges, problems expected to become more severe as the climate crisis sets in. But in many places mangroves have been cut down to make space for development and ponds for fish farming. The ‘Building with Nature’ initiative seeks to restore those forests. Concentrating in Demak, a district on the island of Java, Wetlands International together with Indonesia’s government and other partners helping local communities regrow mangroves along a 20km stretch of coastline.
Instead of simply planting mangroves, the initiative is applying an innovative approach using semi-permeable sea walls made of natural materials to trap mud and sediments. Mangroves then regrow naturally, with a survival rate of 70 per cent - significantly higher than the 15-20 per cent of planted mangroves. Over time, soil builds up in the roots of the mangroves, which can prevent rising seas from inundating communities. The work will increase the resilience of 70,000 people to aspects of climate change.
Experts have also helped 277 shrimp farmers construct shrimp-rearing ponds that can coexist with mangroves and improve the sustainability of their operations. These farmers have seen their shrimp yields triple. The effort and other flagship initiatives were selected under the banner of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global movement coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It is designed to prevent and reverse the degradation of natural spaces across the planet.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said: “Indonesia’s ‘Building for Nature’ initiative, part of the inaugural group of World Restoration Flagships, is a stellar example of smart and forward-looking adaptation work in action. It’s a model worth replicating for how countries can use nature to both ward of the severe impacts of climate change while simultaneously creating new economic opportunities for people.”
Qu Dongyu, Director General of the FAO, said: “FAO, together with UNEP, as co-lead of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, is pleased to award the 10 most ambitious, visionary and promising ecosystem restoration initiatives as 2022 World Restoration Flagships. Inspired by these flagships, we can learn to restore our ecosystems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.” Muhammad Yusuf, Director of Coastal and Small Island Management, at the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs, said: “The region of Demak is badly affected by climate change. Hundreds and thousands of hectares of land are disappearing. This method emulates the mangrove tree root system. So, sediment goes in. Sea water gradually recedes to the sea. When the mangrove trees are rooted there collectively, it’ll act as a natural barrier to reduce the effect of erosion.”
Pieter van Eijk, the programme head of deltas and coasts for Wetlands International, said: “Our experiences from the Demak Building with Nature project have helped create a formula that can be used in other locations. We will now use these lessons to take Building with Nature projects to other parts of Asia.” Countries have already promised to restore 1 billion hectares – an area larger than China – as part of their commitments to the Paris climate agreement, the Aichi targets for biodiversity, the Land Degradation Neutrality targets and the Bonn Challenge. However, little is known about the progress or quality of this restoration. Progress of all 10 World Restoration Flagships will be transparently monitored through the Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring, the UN Decade’s platform for keeping track of global restoration efforts.
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Note to editors
About the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
The United Nations General Assembly has declared the years 2021 through 2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Led by the UN Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, together with the support of partners, it is designed to prevent, halt, and reverse the loss and degradation of ecosystems worldwide. It aims at reviving billions of hectares, covering terrestrial as well as aquatic ecosystems. A global call to action, the UN Decade draws together political support, scientific research, and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration.
About Building with Nature in Indonesia
This World Restoration Flagship is coordinated by the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the Indonesian Ministry of Public Work and Housing, Wetlands International and Ecoshape with support from Witteveen + Bos, Deltares, TU Delft, Wageningen University & Research, UNESCO-IHE, Blue Forests, Kota Kita, Von Lieberman, the Diponegoro University, and local communities. To learn more about the project, watch this video or download these knowledge products.
About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
For more information, please contact: Moses Osani, Media Officer, UN Environment Programme. For media interviews with officials from Indonesia, please reach out to Apri Susanto Astra, Coordinator, Nature-based solutions, Wetlands International Indonesia
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Latest Resources
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Resources
25 August 2022
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