President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) together with a number of civil social organizations addressed the issue of Sustainable Development Goals/SDGs at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday.
A number of civil social organizations were present, among others, the International NGO Forum Indonesian on Development (Infid), Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI), Indonesian Women’s Coalition, Perkumpulan Prakarsa and the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI).
Executive Director Sugeng Infid Bahagijo said he conveyed urgent things to be done in order to succeed SDGs.
“There should be a legal basis, should form an executive committee, and immediately form SDGs priority action plan for 15 years,” he said.
He said every state that signed the agreement will be asked to report what has been done.
Executive Director of WALHI Albert Nego Tarigan said that currently there are many problems such as the impact of reclamation and land and forest fires.
“In the previous experience, government ratified agreements but not in line with the medium-term development plan,” he said.
Meanwhile the Secretary General of Indonesian Women’s Coalition Dian Kartikasari mentioned 104 things in SDGs related to gender equality.
“Also the state should prevent child marriage,” she said.
The Executive Director of the Perkumpulan Prakarsa, AH Maftuchan said Indonesia needs to increase social spending so that social problems can be addressed.
“Basic infrastructure must be taken into consideration; bridges, schools, health centers with all the supporting elements,” he said.
Head of Women and Marginalized Groups from the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia, Yekti Hesti Murti reveals the organization’s data in 2015 regarding the concerning issue of 39 cases related to journalist profession.
“At the beginning of Reformasi we had good ranking but this time at 138 of 180 countries, there were eight murder cases of journalists that have not been handled properly,” she said.
Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs is a set of programs and targets aimed at global development in the future.
SDGs replace the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals), a program with the same purpose and objectives that will be expired at the end of 2015.
SDGs was discussed formally at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio De Janiero, June 2012 (Rio + 20).
Proposal of SDGs contain 17 goals with 169 targets which covers matters related to issues of sustainable development.
These issues include the elimination of poverty and famine, improving health and education, empowering sustainable city, fight against climate change and marine protection and maritime.
Source: Antara News