Poverty eradicating requires sharper priorities<\/p>\n
Indonesia has 10 years to realize the United Nations'
\nMillennium Development Goals (MDGs), which it agreed to in 2000
\nalong with 190 other nations. The goals are poverty and hunger
\neradication, gender equality and women's empowerment, universal
\nprimary education achievement, reducing child mortality,
\nimproving maternal health, combating HIV\/AIDs, malaria and other
\ndiseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a
\nglobal partnership for development. The Jakarta Post's Hera Diani
\nspoke to the UN Ambassador for MDGs in the Asia-Pacific region,
\nErna Witoelar, about how the country is doing. Following is an
\nexcerpt of the interview:<\/p>\n
Question: The government has launched many poverty eradication
\nprograms but they seem to be ineffective. Your comment?
\nAnswer: It takes correct targeting and intervention for the
\nprograms to be effective.<\/p>\n
So far, the programs have been too centralized, with no clear
\nidea of where the pockets of poverty are. And the programs were
\ncreated with a "one-size fits all" approach.<\/p>\n
The poor do not always need money. Sometimes they just want
\nland security so they won't be evicted, or access to markets, or
\nhealth insurance.<\/p>\n
Different intervention is needed for poor people in different
\nareas. If the intervention is of the right kind, then the poor
\ncan improve themselves.<\/p>\n
So, the better we can identify where there are pockets of
\npoverty, the better we can identify their needs and the poverty
\neradication programs will be effective. It would be better if the
\npoor were also involved in the programs to decide for themselves
\n(how they could be helped).<\/p>\n
You said the programs are too centralized, what about regional
\nautonomy?<\/p>\n
It's a problem because of the lack of "pro-poor" policies and
\n"pro-poor" attitudes of local administrations. If they lack a
\nbudget, they can ask (central government) for a special budget to
\neradicate poverty in their region.<\/p>\n
Each region's own budget is actually enough to eradicate most
\nforms of poverty, but the problem is priority. Often the
\npriorities are to renovate a regent's house, buy cars or clothes
\nfor officials, a budget for political needs -- anything else but
\nthe poor.<\/p>\n
When we combine power with concern, poverty can be eradicated
\nin no time. Power has only resulted in many ignorant leaders,
\nwhile concern has resulted in thousands of non-governmental
\norganizations (NGOs) with limited reach and no significant
\nimpact. The ideal thing is partnership between government,
\nbusinesspeople and NGOs.<\/p>\n
The deadline of the MDGs is only 10 years away, are you
\noptimistic that our country can meet the goals?<\/p>\n
If it's business as usual, there's a reason to be pessimistic.
\nBut I push people to be aware, from the President to NGOs. The
\nmore people know about the MDGs, the better.<\/p>\n
We don't have to call them MDGs, we just need to get the
\nmessage out that everyone must be free from poverty, every child
\nmust go to school and no mother should die while giving birth.<\/p>\n
All of these are the government's obligations, but the fact
\nis, none of the MDG goals are handled by the government alone.
\nTherefore, it will take the government to create a conducive
\natmosphere to increase the participation of wider society.<\/p>\n
Among the goals, what is the most urgent thing to improve or
\neradicate?<\/p>\n
Through the entry point of (solving) poverty, the rest of the
\ngoals can be reached. However, there are different entry points
\nfor different regions.<\/p>\n
There is a region with a malaria problem, for instance, so the
\nentry point should be environmental rehabilitation. In a region
\nwith a high rate of maternal mortality, the entry point should be
\nincreased medical staff and access to medical services. Our clean
\nwater supply is still very poor; urban slums are also a problem.<\/p>\n
Again, the more accurately a local administration identifies
\nits region's needs, the more effective it will be.<\/p>\n
The MDGs are a frame for holistic, integrated development.
\nOnce our leaders have these ideas in mind, then they will design
\nprograms that encompass several goals at once. For instance,
\nproviding lunch at school can overcome malnutrition, it gives
\nmore reasons for children to go to school and removes one burden
\nof poor parents to provide meals for their children.<\/p>\n
Even though the MDG solutions are imposed locally, provincial
\nor central government should encourage development by beginning
\npro-poor policies, such as microcredit for women or poor people,
\nand cross-subsidies for infrastructure in remote areas.<\/p>\n
The government's focus must be shifted as well. They have been
\nsupporting the middle and upper classes, hoping that their
\nsuccess will trickle down. But this approach has failed, so real
\nwork at the lowest level is needed.<\/p>\n
What should be done about the rising malnutrition problem?<\/p>\n
First, all the media coverage about severe malnutrition and
\nall should not be taken negatively by the government, but instead
\nappreciated for what it is, signposts to pockets of poverty.<\/p>\n
The malnutrition problem is a blessing in disguise as it is an
\nindicator of pockets of poverty. Don't just cure each patient,
\nbut go there and prioritize developing those regions because at
\nthe end it all boils down to poverty.<\/p>\n
This malnutrition problem is not just the government's
\nmistake, it's a collective mistake. The media mostly talk about
\npolitics, investment, celebrities. Helping society is usually
\ndone through philanthropy, it's still a charity event instead of
\nbeing about people's empowerment.<\/p>\n
If it was up to me, I would invite every media organization,
\nand ask them to help map poor areas so that the poverty budgets
\nwould go to those areas first.<\/p>\n
There is plenty of money available from the middle and upper
\nclasses who can afford to and are willing to eradicate poverty.
\nHowever, the bridge or the facilitator does not exist. This
\nshould have become the government's role so that the development
\nfunds can be targeted well.<\/p>\n
Compared to other countries in Asia, how are we doing in
\nreaching the MDGs?<\/p>\n
We're in the middle. Some countries like Thailand and Malaysia
\nare included in the MDG plus, which means that some of the goals
\nhave been reached and the rest can be reached long before 2015.<\/p>\n
Some of the MDGs are categorized as minimum development goals,
\nand we can reach them. But if the situation isn't handled well,
\nthings could get worse. More people will go hungry, more mothers
\nwould die in labor ... There are actually many ways for the
\ngovernment to eradicate poverty. I'm sure every business is
\nwilling to donate money, if they are asked in the right way.<\/p>\n
Another thing, of course, is good governance and no
\nembezzlement.<\/p>",
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