Current poverty program ineffective: Experts<\/p>\n
Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Experts and non-governmental organizations urged the
\ngovernment on Thursday to take a more forward-looking approach to
\nempowering the poor by employing \"people-driven\" rather than
\n\"charity-driven\" poverty alleviation programs.<\/p>\n
Social affairs and human rights observer Soetandyo
\nWignjosoebroto and H.S. Dillon, chairman of the Center for
\nAgricultural Policy, underlined that the current poverty
\neradication programs offered only short-term solutions that
\ncontinued to alienate the poor from the necessary resources to
\nimprove their welfare.<\/p>\n
\"Rice distribution only helps the poor for two or three days,
\nmaking the impact of the social safety net scheme short-lived.
\nThe poor have to overcome poverty for good,\" Dillon told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The two men were speaking on the sidelines of a seminar on
\nstrategies to fight poverty and impoverishment, held by the Anti-
\nImpoverishment Movement for Indonesia (Gapri).<\/p>\n
Gapri groups nine non-governmental organizations: the Mitra
\nUsaha Foundation, Oxfam GB, CPSM, INFID, ASPPUK, YAPPIKA, JARI
\nIndonesia, KIKIS and Bina Desa.<\/p>\n
There are now some 40 million Indonesians living below the
\npoverty line, the majority of them families whose main
\nbreadwinner did not graduate from elementary school and who does
\ncasual agricultural or factory work.<\/p>\n
The Committee for Poverty Eradication (KPK), overseen by the
\nOffice of the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare, is
\ncurrently preparing the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).<\/p>\n
This new program aims to increase the income of the poor and
\nreduce their daily expenses. Like the old poverty eradication
\nprogram, however, many of the strategies involve the temporary
\nprovision of food, scholarships and health services.<\/p>\n
Soetandyo said poverty reduction programs often failed because
\nthe government was unaware that people \"are forced into poverty
\nby its policies\".<\/p>\n
\"Many poverty reduction programs only partially solve the
\nproblem. People are poor not because they are not hardworking or
\nthrifty, but because they are the victims of the power
\nstructure,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, Soetandyo said agrarian policies kept
\npeople in poverty because they allowed the government to seize
\ntheir ancestral lands for forest or mining concessions.<\/p>\n
And privatization in the health and education industries opens
\nup access for the rich while shunting the poor aside, he said.<\/p>\n
Soetandyo urged the government to enforce the regulations
\ncontrolling education and health services, and to encourage
\nemployers to make the poor a priority.<\/p>\n
Dillon suggested that the government make poverty eradication
\nits guideline in policy-making, and establish institutions and
\nutilize technology to help fight poverty.<\/p>\n
He added that with \"people-driven\" policies, the government
\ncould end the vicious circle of poverty.<\/p>\n
\"People-driven policies will help the poor generate decent
\nincomes for their households. Therefore they will be able to
\nmaintain and increase their welfare,\" Dillon said.<\/p>\n
Elizabeth Carriere, the co-chair of the Poverty Working Group
\non CGI, suggested that the government listen to the poor and
\ninvolve them in designing and implementing poverty eradication
\nprograms.<\/p>\n
\"Poor people need to be listened to, they need voices and
\nchoices. Programs to address poverty will be better if the poor
\nare involved as actors in determining the decisions about their
\nlives. When you talk to them they will say, 'Listen to us, we
\nknow what needs to be done,'\" she told the Post.<\/p>\n
She said the public was becoming more aware that poverty
\neradication programs are being run poorly and ineffectively.<\/p>\n
\"It's very important to get to the root cause of poverty and
\nwhat makes it continue. I think it's a good idea to focus on good
\ngovernance in discussing why poverty continues to be passed on.
\nCorruption matters, public participation and transparency are
\nfundamental things in addressing poverty,\" Carriere said.<\/p>\n
Jehan Arulpragasam, senior economist at the World Bank Jakarta
\noffice, said the government should develop strategies for poverty
\nreduction that include specific programs to generate economic
\ngrowth, improve opportunities, improve security for the people
\nand provide the people the opportunity to voice their thoughts.<\/p>\n
\"It is important for the government and the public to think
\nabout the objectives of and develop strategies for poverty
\nreduction. I think many donors like to coordinate within a clear
\nframework. We can give advice and money because poverty reduction
\nis one of our missions,\" he told the Post.<\/p>",
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