LOCALISE SDGs: Synchronizing Local Inspiration to Global Agenda

LOCALISE SDGs: Synchronising Local Inspiration to Global Agenda

Social empowerment program for people in Makassar.

AFTER the Millenium Development Goals or MDGs in 2015, 194 countries have come into another agreement to realise social welfare and development equality. On 25 September 2015, the United Nations (UN) member states drafted the 17 achievement agenda to be pursued until 2030, called Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. SDGs consist of 169 targets and 244 specific indicators. The complexity of these goals indicates the need of strong commitment, as raised by UN, to address various issues that occur in each country. Although the achievements of SDGs require the involvement

of many parties, the local government is expected to be at the front line. As the global agenda puts hope to the unique role of local government in their local area, LOCALISE SDGs Project Team, coordinated by UCLG ASPAC, has been established to strongly contribute to the capacity building of local governments in Indonesia, so that in larger scope they will positively impact on community advancement in national level. The efforts not only materialise the global agenda but also achievement of national goal that is building Indonesia from regions, either City or Regency.

Mapping Potentials, Overcoming Constraints East Indonesia, particularly the islands of Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua consists of 17 cities covering Makassar, Parepare, Palopo, Palu, Kendari, Baubau, Gorontalo, Manado, Bitung, Kotamobagu, Tomohon, Ambon, Ternate, Tual, Tidore, Sorong, and Jayapura. Out of these 17 cities, nine cities are provincial capitals, and the remaining are cities attached to a province. Nevertheless, these 17 cities are further divided into three categories: Big, Medium and Small cities.

Speaking on the current conditions of cities, there is a similar tendency decorating the development. For example, poverty, slums, population density, unemployment and traffic congestion. These issues are captured neatly in a “failed city” analogy by Suketu Mehta – an author from India – in the film Slumdog Millionaire directed by David Boyle in 2008. According to Mehta, this film actually reveals the urban catastrophe in Mumbai, a megapolitan city of India. With a population of approximately 19-20 million, it has a population density of 17,550 people/mile/square and loses its carrying capacity. Of course, the cities in Indonesia would not want to experience such condition.

Marine and maritime resources are potentials of the cities in the Eastern part of Indonesia. Most of the cities in this region are coastal areas with beautiful and clean beaches. Take, for example, Makassar with its iconic beach, Losari that has established itself as the waterfront city with abundant marine resources; similar cities include Baubau, Gorontalo, Ambon, Sorong, Manado, and Bintung. Historically, Ternate and Tidore are well known with their natural spices in this Nusantara. Not to mention Tual city, which, in 2014, was declared by UNESCO as the beach city with finest sand.

Those natural resources will support the improvement of people’s lives, if managed properly.

The carrying capacity of natural resources requires support from other resources. Local government’s capacities to regulate, create quality programs, and facilitate people’s needs are all equally important tasks. A number of initiatives have been developed by several city governments in the Eastern region. In Gorontalo, there is a program called “Delapan Gratis dari Lahir sampai Mati (literally: “Free Eight - from Birth until Death”). In Ambon, there is a community empowerment program through the creation of employment opportunities in music. In Kendari, since 2009, a microcredit assistance program has progressed, targeting small traders in markets. Besides, a methane gas processing from organic waste has also been developed since 2010. In Ternate, the City Government has initiated Barifola, a program that helps poor people to own a decent house.

SDGs LOCALISE Project Team sees these initiatives as the roles expected from the local government to support SDGs achievement: No.1 (Poverty Eradication), No.7 (Clean and Affordable Energy), No.8 (Local Economic Development), and No.10 (Build the well-being and Reduce Inequality). Therefore, making local governments fully aware of the SDGs, how SDGs closely relate with their current works, and how synchronising SDGs with their works can actually help (instead of adding their responsibility), will contribute positively to the roles that local governments undertake. This is the spirit embodied by LOCALISE SDGs Project Team, that is translated to the programme they design for local governments, in collaboration with like-minded partners; Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) of Republic of Indonesia included.

The spirit is also reflected on the Top 99 Innovation by MoHA that includes the Home Care programme in Makasar. The local innovation implemented in the city has proven pro-people in infrastructure development in recent years. It amplifies that health services are not only received by community when they visit the health service centers.

Drawn further in SDGs context, local government of Makasar has actually contributed to the achievement of SDGs No.3 (Good Health and Well-Being).

LOCALISE SDGs, a programme implemented by UCLG ASPAC and APEKSI and funded by EU, has designed activities to help local governments synchronise their current contributions on local level to the achievement of global agenda. As partnership makes betterment happens, LOCALISE SDGs establishes cooperation with like-minded stakeholders and national government’s institutions including MoHA of Republic of Indonesia, the ministry in charge of all local governments in the country. With the

undeniable roles of local governments, LOCALISE SDGs Project, through this partnership, ensures the commitment, consistency, and collaboration of local governments in Indonesia for the achievement of SDGs.