Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar conveyed the new changes through a video in the annual dialogue on Implementation of UNDP Indonesia Program Documents during an event on Feb. 16. It was well received by the UNDP Indonesia representative, Norimasa Shimomura, who immediately praised the ministry as a champion of localizing SDGs in Indonesia.

Abdul further elaborated that as of Feb. 23, 2023, data will have been collected by name and address from 102 million villagers, 30 million families, with 382,000 data on neighborhood areas in 62,000 villages in Indonesia. It was collected by 935,000 assessors from the local neighborhood association. Moreover, detailed data can be opened by only a few: village heads and village secretaries.

While each road map is different, most of the goals that have been accelerated do overlap: to eliminate village poverty, health and prosperity; to eradicate hunger; and village infrastructure and innovation as needed. Most of the funds are allocated to the four priorities.

Currently, there have been 18 villages that met the first goal, such as Sabdodadi village in Bantul regency in Yogyakarta, by successfully decreasing poverty. Furthermore, 10 villages met the goal involving village infrastructure and innovation, including Bangkudai Timur village in East Bolaang Mongondow regency, North Sulawesi.

Other goals achieved include the involvement of village women, which was achieved in six villages; collaboration in village development, which was achieved by 13 villages; and the goal to increase women’s involvement was achieved by as many as 100 villages.

As a result of the cooperation between PDTT, UNDP and the Basque government of Spain, SDGs Village data are also integrated with Platform Inovasi Sosial (SIP). The aim is to strengthen the connection between the needs of residents and the results of the analysis. The plan is to be implemented in villages in Papua, West Papua, South Papua, southwest Papua, Maluku, North Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara.

This year, PDTT, along with the regional governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) will collaborate in field schools for 220 districts. Through the initiative, teams will go to sample villages, drive data updates, explore the needs of the residents and then link them to the results of the Village SDGs analysis and recommendations.

The data collected will then be used in preparing the Rencana Kerja Pemerintah (RKP), and eventually to set the 2024 Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Desa (APB for villages). It sets the amount of government funding allocated for villages in the hope that it can be used to achieve more SDGs in 2024.

Villages that have achieved one or more of the SDGs Village goals continue to be assessed and assisted. These are villages that want to be used as examples for the international community, to learn about the localization of SDGs down to the village level, in a massive implementation of up to 74,961 villages throughout Indonesia.

The country will celebrate SDGs Village Day on July 14, 2023. To commemorate the special occasion, a series of global meetings will be held, including international seminars, SDGs localization activist forums and appreciation of SDGs Villages pins for villages that have successfully fulfilled one or more of the goals.

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