T

he government says civil society organizations (CSOs) will play a greater role in devising and implementing the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) policies.

'€œThe most important thing is to take this country forward for the sake of its people, by expanding the role of civil society organizations in policy making to help the government achieve the post-2015 MDGs target,'€ Nila F. Moeloek, the president'€™s special envoy for the MDGs, told a meeting on Thursday.

The United Nations member states have called for open and inclusive consultations involving civil society groups, the private sector, academics and the research institutions to advance the MDGs framework beyond 2015. Sustainable development is the main target for the post-2015 MDGs agenda, particularly economic growth, social equity and the environment.

Nila said that civil society organizations could partner with the government to educate the public about any specific issues related to the post-2015 MDGs, such as the environment, education and health to foster social equity.

She cited a case in Bitung, North Sulawesi, where the health workers from the community health centers agreed to collaborate with a non-government organization (NGO) to educate the Bitung people about the importance of health.

'€œIn three years, community health centers and civil society organizations have made many innovations, which are useful for the people,'€ she said.

Heru Prasetyo from the Presidential Working Unit for the Supervision and Management of Development said that during the implementation of the post- 2015 MDGs there would be a changing paradigm about the meaning of partnerships.

'€œWhen the United Nations General Assembly established the MDGs in 2000, only governments participated in the implementation,'€ he said.

He added that the MDGs drew criticism from member states of the United Nations because they were seen as exclusive goals for officials, which excluded participation of the society.

'€œThe United Nations then set up a High Level Panel meeting and invited people, such as scholars, representatives of the public sector and consultants, to discuss specific matters like energy, water and migration,'€ he said.

He added that the focus had changed from how the government implemented the goals to how to embrace the communities to help the government achieve the post- 2015 MDGs.

Executive director of the Partnership for Governance Reform (Kemitraan), Wicaksono Saroso, said that civil society organizations in Indonesia had a great deal of potential to help the government achieve development goals.

'€œWe have many good civil society organizations, which have helped to improve people'€™s welfare. Unfortunately, many of them are having financial constraints and have nearly closed down,'€ he said.

He added that the government was supposed to allocate money from the state budget to support these NGOs.

'€œIn reality many of these organizations have to depend on sponsorship from foreign countries, as well as the private sector, to be able to improve society,'€ he said.

Heru said that all of the suggestions on how to improve the participation of civil society organizations in helping the government to implement the post-2015 MDGs would be delivered in the multi stakeholder discussion among Indonesian organizations and institutions, which will be held in New York on September 25.

'€œWe want to have international support so that the partnership between the government and civil society organizations will become very important in achieving the post-2015 MDGs,'€ he said. (tam)