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Coordination key to achieving SDGs: Puan
Puan Maharani (JP/DON)Agreed by the 193 member states of the UN, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are continuing the legacy of the expired Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
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Puan Maharani (JP/DON) (JP/DON)
Puan Maharani (JP/DON)
Agreed by the 193 member states of the UN, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are continuing the legacy of the expired Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The new agenda includes 17 sustainable development goals and 169 targets that will lead to the elimination of all kinds of poverty by 2030. To understand the government's strategy in reaching the goals, The Jakarta Post's Rendi A. Witular talked on Monday with Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani, who will spearhead coordination in the sectors of health, gender, poverty and education. Here are excerpts from the interview:
Question: After the enactment of the SDGs, what should Indonesia immediately do?
Answer: We understand that several goals under the MDGs have not been met. Therefore, there should be strong efforts to strengthen coordination among related ministries and agencies in pursuing the targets.
Issues related to gender, health, poverty and education are under my responsibility to coordinate. There should be an improvement. Take health issues, for example. We will change our approach and mind-set from merely focusing on healing to preventive measures. That means we should launch more campaigns for healthy living.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla has said that preventive measures will start from improving sanitation and the provision of clean water, the construction of which is the responsibility of the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, not the Health Ministry. That's why there should be synergy between the two.
Will there be a special fund for meeting the goals?
Programs under the SDGs should first be included in the mid-term development planning programs arranged by the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas). All of the 17 goals will be discussed there to clearly map which ones should be prioritized and tailored to the conditions in Indonesia.
After the inclusion, the programs can be included in the upcoming 2016 state budget slated for endorsement between Oct. 17 and 20. If we miss that time frame, the programs could also be included in the revision of the state budget set to be made mid-next year.
But despite the need for such inclusions, many of the SDG programs have actually been reflected in our development agenda. We should only need to refocus and sharpen certain programs. For example, in health issues, we now need to focus more on promoting healthy living.
There will also be a time line to achieve the goals. Short, medium and long term. The programs will be evaluated within the period and we will work closely with Bappenas to ensure that we are on track to achieve the targets.
Coordination has always been a precarious issue. It is cited to be among the causes of our failure to meet the MDGs. How would you ensure all related ministries and agencies are willing to move in the same way?
Coordination is a must. It should be our priority. If Indonesia wants to progress, no work should be done entirely by one or a few ministries. There should be a spirit of mutual cooperation and the need to avoid sectorial ego.
If there is a ministry that does not cooperate well, I will talk with the people in charge and ask about their problems, their proposed solutions and their commitment. The work is for the nation, not for certain individuals or groups. The mental revolution concept should be well applied in order for our nation to advance.
So how can the mental revolution (a term coined by President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's campaign team to promote a comprehensive reform that hinges on changes in personal mind-set) be included in the SDGs?
It's already embodied in the SDGs. Mental revolution is a movement toward a new way of life based on integrity, work ethic and mutual cooperation. If you want reform, people should change first. Without that, we can never expect to reach any of our targets, not only for the SDGs but also our entire development ambitions.
