Indonesia

Overview

Supporting new models of public participation will help Indonesia emerge as an exemplar of how to promote tolerance, social equity and environmental sustainability.

The Regional Context

Indonesia has made remarkable progress in its transition from military rule to a thriving democracy. This reform process has given rise to decentralized governance, direct elections, laws that address the needs of the poor and underrepresented, strong civil society groups, and new platforms for public debate.

Despite these successes, state policy and program reforms have yet to address deepening poverty and persistent discrimination toward marginalized social groups. Indonesia is also experiencing increased environmental degradation and is the world's third-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

Our Goal

The goal of our work is to create economic opportunity and offer increased access and participation in local governance for poor and socially marginalized communities.

Empowering marginalized groups by helping them to gain a stronger voice and a greater say in local decision making is essential to breaking old patterns of social exclusion and new patterns of economic disparity.

These priorities also include guaranteeing the realization of basic rights for all citizens across the diverse geography and culture of the Indonesian archipelago.

What We're Doing

Our work focuses on:

• Institutionalizing the participation of the poor and underrepresented in local planning and budgeting decision-making bodies
• Improving recognition of reproductive and sexual rights and the full participation of women in society
• Promoting innovation in livelihoods that enable poor rural households to increase incomes and build assets
• Advancing public service media that amplifies marginalized voices and critical perspectives in order to build an informed and active citizenry
• Ensuring poor rural communities, especially indigenous people and ethnic minorities, in environmentally fragile areas gain greater control over their land, forests and other natural resources
• Promoting participatory land use management that seeks equity and sustainable natural resource management

Our grant making in the region is pursued through the following initiatives.

From the Newsroom

• Speeches: Remarks by Pablo Farías on International Forest Day Ford Foundation vice president on preserving the world's forests
• In the Headlines: At Global Climate Change Talks, An Answer Grows Right Outside Luis Ubiñas Op-ed for Huffington Post Stresses Bold Approach to Climate Change

Regional Office

Team

• David Hulse
  Representative
• Heidi Arbuckle
  Program Officer
• Alexander Irwan
  Program Officer
• Steve Rhee
  Program Officer
• William Smith
  Program Officer

Contact

Tel.

(+62) 21-2935-7200

Fax

(+62) 21-2935-7210

Email

ffjakarta@fordfoundation.org