Nations urged to assist weak, vulnerable sectors<\/p>\n
By T. Sima Gunawan<\/p>\n
ISTANBUL, Turkey (JP): Indonesia urged world leaders yesterday
\nnot to marginalize the most vulnerable layers of society.<\/p>\n
The assistant to the Minister of Public Housing, Suyono, told
\nthe UN Conference on Human Settlements II that governments have
\nthe responsibility to facilitate "the weakest and most vulnerable
\nsectors" through poverty eradication policies and strategies,
\nincluding human resource and capacity building.<\/p>\n
"It is also important that access to employment opportunities
\nand the provision of low-cost housing units are ensured," he said
\nbefore the general exchange of views on the second day of the
\nHabitat II Conference.<\/p>\n
"While these policies are indeed the responsibility of
\ngovernments with the cooperation of the international community,
\nit is also important that the private sectors' initiatives should
\nbe tapped for these purposes," he said.<\/p>\n
Habitat II, which will continue until June 14, has two main
\nissues: shelter for all and sustainable human settlements.<\/p>\n
Negotiations of a Conference committee are still underway to
\ndecide the reference on housing: whether it is a right or a need.<\/p>\n
The Non-Aligned Movement made it clear on Monday that "shelter
\nis a basic human right." But the U.S. said that the right to
\nadequate housing is a component of existing human rights.<\/p>\n
The U.S. has proposed that reference to housing be considered
\nmore as needs, aspirations and goals rather than explicit human
\nrights, as it apparently worries over the demand of free housing
\nfor those who need it.<\/p>\n
Shelter for all has been central to the national housing
\npolicy for over two decades, according to Suyono. He said that
\nthe policy is focused on three main goals: expanding the
\navailability of housing; promoting home ownership, especially in
\nurban areas; and improving the quality of urban neighborhoods.
\nOne of the central policies to achieve the goals is the Kampong
\nImprovement Program (KIP). He said that the program, which is
\ndesigned to upgrade housing in poor neighborhoods, now operates
\nin 500 cities and includes infrastructure improvements.<\/p>\n
The World Bank, which helps finance the KIP, hails the program
\nas an "urban success story".<\/p>\n
Suyono also told the Conference that Indonesia is committed to
\nsustainable rural development, which is essential to ensure
\nsustainable urban settlements.<\/p>\n
"In this way, the magnetic attraction of the megacities --
\nespecially to the rural poor -- as well as the lure of the bright
\nlights and employment opportunities for youths, can be
\nencountered, to a certain extent, by the availability of greater
\nopportunities in rural areas."<\/p>\n
Indonesia has the fourth largest population in the world.
\nBetween 1970 and 1990, the population of Indonesia rose from 120
\nmillion to nearly 180 million. Today, over 34 percent of
\nIndonesia's population lives in urban areas. In 2020, the urban
\npopulation will reach between 50 and 60 percent.<\/p>\n
The phenomena of rapid urbanization in Indonesia is aggravated
\nby the trends of globalization and liberalization, which have
\nboosted urban economics in developing countries, Suyono said.<\/p>\n
"But the very success has created an increasing gap between
\ncities and smaller towns, villages and the countryside. The lure
\nof the cities and the incessant search for employment
\nopportunities -- especially by the youth -- has thus spurred on
\nrapid rural migration to urban centers worldwide," he said.<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia has been successful in reducing poverty
\nlevels from approximately 60 percent in the late 1960s, to 13
\npercent in 1993. It is projected that the poverty levels will
\ndrop to 10 percent by the end of this century. However, he
\nadmitted that there has been a widening gap within large urban
\ncommunities like Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan, which has resulted
\nin the escalation of urban poverty.<\/p>\n
"Moreover, the rapid expansion of industry in such major
\ncities has also posed serious problems for the environment,
\nthreatening both the quality of life and the natural resources
\nbase, which is critical for the sustainability of such growth and
\ndevelopment," he said.<\/p>\n
The World Bank estimates that the environmental costs of air
\nand water pollution in Jakarta are US$1 billion per year and
\nlosses due to floods are $26 million per year.<\/p>\n
Statement -- Page 9<\/p>\n
Photo -- Page 16<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nations-urged-to-assist-weak-vulnerable-sectors-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }