Urban poor 'left out' of poverty programs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Settlement and Regional Development
\nErna Witoelar lamented on Thursday that poverty alleviation
\nprograms in the country continued to overlook the urban poor.<\/p>\n
\"Most government programs, such as micro-credit schemes and
\nother aid programs, are focused on rural areas and seem to ignore
\nthe urban areas,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Speaking during a high-level discussion forum on poverty
\nalleviation on Thursday, Erna appealed for greater consideration
\nfor residents of urban slums.<\/p>\n
The discussion brought together government officials,
\nexecutives from the Asian Development Bank, non-governmental
\norganizations and experts to formulate and integrate a common
\npolicy for poverty alleviation.<\/p>\n
The region-wide economic contagion which first struck
\nIndonesia in 1997 has doubled the number of poor in the country.<\/p>\n
The most recent statistics showed that by 1998, there were an
\nestimated 37.5 million poor, or about 17.5 percent of the total
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
The Asian Development Bank's poverty assessment reported that
\nalmost 70 percent of the poor lived in rural areas.<\/p>\n
Although the focus on rural assistance may appear justified,
\nErna stressed that programs in urban areas have proven
\ninsufficient.<\/p>\n
Much of the assistance also failed to properly address the
\nneeds of the urban poor.<\/p>\n
\"For example, one donor agency had a program for clean water
\nand sanitation. The end result was that the people had toilets
\nwhich were much better than their homes.\"<\/p>\n
She said the government's policy of providing low-cost housing
\nwas another well-intentioned program but which ultimately missed
\nits main goal of assisting the needy.<\/p>\n
Erna said the houses were built too far from the work places
\nof most of the people and they remained costly.<\/p>\n
\"These people cannot afford the housing and the sites are
\nlocated too deep in the suburbs. The people end up having to
\nspend more money for transportation to their work place.\"<\/p>\n
She said most of the successful programs to alleviate poverty
\nwere in rural areas, but more consideration should be accorded
\nthe urban poor.<\/p>\n
\"I think it's about time we consider more urban areas,\" she
\nsaid. (04)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/urban-poor-left-out-of-poverty-programs-1447893297",
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