Statement by
H.E. Mr. Susanto Sutoyo
Director General for Multilateral
Economic, Financial and
Development Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia
at High Level Plenary Segment
of the 43rd Session of the
Commission for Social Development
on Agenda Item 3 (A) Review
of further implementation of the World Summit for Social Development
and the Outcome of the Twenty-Fourth Special Session of the General
Assembly.
New York, 11 February 2005
Mr. Chairman,
Let me begin by extending my delegation's congratulations to you on
your election to the chairmanship of the 43rd Session of the Commission
for Social Development and to the other members of the Bureau who
have been elected. This session deserves our special attention since
it is fully dedicated to a review of the post-decade period of the
Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. In this regard, we
pledge our full support in assisting you in successfully fulfilling
your formidable responsibilities.
I would also like to express our appreciation to Under-Secretary-General
for Economic and Social Affairs for his statement and to Mr. Johan
Scholvinck for his informative introductory remarks to the Secretary-General's
reports on the agenda items 3 (a). While fully associating itself
with the statement of the distinguished representative of Jamaica
on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, my delegation would like to
emphasize a few points it considers important.
Mr. Chairman,
Though Indonesia welcomes the timely Report of the Secretary General,
it is somewhat alarmed by some observations and recommendations found
in the report. The social development agenda has been re-positioned
in second place to the economic. While, for instance, there has been
some reduction of extreme poverty and greater access to primary education,
progress has been less than expected and often uneven between regions
and across countries. Full employment and social integration have
by and large been left aside if not ignored.
For its part, however, Indonesia has been attentive and sensitive
to the need for a proper balance between macro-economic policies and
social development goals. It is committed to human development. On
that basis, it agrees with the recommendation of the report that the
5-year review of the implementation of the MDGs by the 60th session
of the General Assembly should adopt a people-centered approach, with
priority given to pro- poor development programme. This will help
to reinforce the importance of the social development goals of the
MDGs, especially those focusing on improved health, better education
and full employment, all of which have been prioritized by Indonesia.
Mr. Chairman,
However, because of a number of challenges, among them the financial
crisis of 1997 and the recent tsunami, fluctuations have occurred
in Indonesia's efforts to implement the Copenhagen Declaration and
Programme of Action. However, since the Special Session of Copenhagen
+ 5 in 2000, Indonesia has experienced marked recovery and managed
to gradually achieve progress in social development.
In the area of poverty eradication, although Indonesia's poverty headcount
index was still higher than the pre-crisis level up to 2003, it has
been able to gradually reduce the number of its poor. Over the period,
2000-2004, a mix of 14 ministries and government agencies were able
to implement 16 poverty reduction programmes designed to bring about
family and women empowerment, agribusiness development and activate
revolving fund schemes for the poor, among other things.
The pro-poor national policy is rights based to the extent that the
poverty reduction strategy is open and highly participatory. Decisions
taken by the Government are even subject to critical scrutiny by civil
society organizations. To ensure that all groups benefit from the
PRSP process, which has been adapted to respond to local needs through
the Provincial and Local Poverty Reduction Strategy (SPKD), the PRSP
has been integrated into the Mid-Term National Development Strategy.
Indonesia has structured its poverty reduction strategy to improve
community welfare. In line with this approach, Law No. 40/2004 on
National Social Security System was enacted last October. The law
provides for progressive implementation of social security schemes
in the areas of health, employment injury and pension funds. This
constitutes not only better policy formulation and implementation
as well as management of the work of our current agencies on social
development, but also provides a legal framework that ensures all
Indonesians are protected against unprecedented social risks and provided
with the proper fulfillment of basic needs.
As with poverty, so with full employment: a similar gloomy picture
can also be painted for promoting full employment in Indonesia. Slow
economic growth since the 1997 crisis brought about a higher level
of unemployment. In 2002, 9.13 million or 9.1 % of total labour force
was unemployed.
In addressing this massive and complex problem, the Indonesian Government
introduced multi-dimensional policies and adopted a variety of approaches,
at all times being as flexible as possible. In order to improve agriculture
as a primary employment sector, the Government introduced various
measures in deregulating agricultural products and materials, seeking
to eradicate trade barriers and provide affordable seeds and pesticides
to farmers. Simultaneously, the Government simplified business procedures
in order to attract more investments in manufacturing industries.
Turning to the area of social integration, much progress has been
made as a result of the democratization process which began in 1998
and made people knowledgeable about and able to participate in the
decision-making process. The inequity of women being kept out of the
decision-making process ceased with the enactment of the landmark
Law No. 12/2003. This law makes it mandatory for all political parties
to ensure that at least 30 percent of their nominations for national,
provincial and local parliamentary bodies are women. In addition,
the Government has been taking steps to build social solidarity as
the primary means of improving community life and attaining self-reliance
in national development. Through such solidarity it is expected that
there will be considerably less discrimination against women.
The Government has also been sensitive to the needs of other groups
in society. To assist the aged, the 2003-2008 National Action Plan
was enacted in 2003 and the following year, the National Commission
on Ageing was established. Similarly, the on-going formulation of
a National Action Plan on Disability reflects full commitment to the
Biwako Millennium Framework Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and
Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the
Pacific. The National Action Plan 2004-2013 has been launched along
with the establishment of eight working groups to address issues specific
to disabled persons.
Work is being done to assist youth as well. As one of the first nations
to volunteer to be a "lead" country to "prepare reviews
and action plans" on youth employment, Indonesia, in cooperation
with the UN-DESA, held a Regional Workshop on "Youth in Poverty
in Southeast Asia", in August 2004 in Yogyakarta. At national
level, Indonesia's Vice- President launched the Indonesia Youth Employment
Network on 12 August 2004 in Jakarta.
Mr. Chairman,
These accomplishments have resulted from sound national policies and
good governance influenced by the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme
of Action. Indonesia therefore fully supports the Secretary-General's
recommendation that implementation of the World Summit for Social
Development and the outcome of the Twenty-fourth special session of
the General Assembly should dominate and shape agendas of national
governments in the future.
Thank you.
