Professional Documents
Culture Documents
January-March, 2011
Actress and UN
Youth Champion
Monique
Coleman
(centre) visited
Indonesia on 21-
22 February as
a part of a world
tour to promote
the International
Year of Youth,
including youth
contributions to
volunteerism
Jakarta - “It is really important Jakarta – On the 100th ordinator in Indonesia. “There
to hear the voices and con- anniversary of International is ample evidence for this:
cerns of youth from around the Women’s Day, the United investing in women and girls is
world,” says Monique Coleman, Nations in Indonesia called for the breakthrough strategy
who recently embarked on a a renewed commitment to needed to achieve the MDGs.
world tour to spotlight issues invest in gender equality as a Countries that invest in women
facing youth across the globe. key to sustainable development get greater returns on the de-
“Whether it’s environment and -- including the achievement of velopment of their economies
climate change, or employment the Millennium Development and societies,” he said.
and education, or gender Goals, the implementation of
equality, leaders and decision- the Convention on the To mark the United Nations
makers are realizing the Elimination of all Forms of Dis- system’s global commitment to
importance of being responsive crimination against Women women’s empowerment, a
to the needs of youth. Today’s (CEDAW), and the aid effect- strengthened organisation to
youth will define the world we iveness agenda. champion the rights of women
live in tomorrow.” and girls was launched on 24
Monique is aiming to give voice “Women’s empowerment, to- February of this year: UN
to the aspirations of youth gether with the protection of the Women. On the occasion of the
throughout the world through rights of women and girls, is the 100th anniversary of Interna-
increased dialogue and cornerstone of the development tional Women’s Day, the
information-exchange, espe- agenda,” said El-Mostafa Executive Director of the United
cially through the use of new Benlamlih, UN Resident Co- Nations Population Fund
Youth: p. 6 Women: p. 2
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January-March, 2011
(UNFPA), Dr. Babatunde is already taking action to
Osotimehin, said that “as the strengthen women’s economic Q & A with
world approaches a population participation in Papua province
on seven billion, it is high time with programmes to develop
to unleash the full potential of entrepreneurship skills aimed
half the world’s population.” specifically at women.
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January-March, 2011
BUILDING OPPORTUNITY
stronger entity within the UN
BY BREAKING BARRIERS system to accelerate the goal
Or how two young women from Nias overcome gender of gender equality and
stereotypes and thrive as construction-site supervisors women’s empowerment. It
builds on the important work
of four previously distinct
parts of the UN system. We
now have a single recognized
driver within the UN system
which plays the role of a
UN IN INDONESIA
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January-March, 2011
the occasional inconvenience, could do the job. It was difficult
Kiki said: “I don’t care if my skin to make my family convinced macroeconomic, trade, and
get burned working directly that I can do not only the real financial policies and plans;
under the sun. I am proud of work of construction but also and - last but not least -
myself and what I have the site management. But I’ve expanding women’s voice,
achieved. There are still many proved myself to them and they leadership and participation,
remote, isolated villages and by are very proud,” said Lisna who including in building
unblocking the isolation, the now works as a site supervisor sustainable peace.
people of Nias can improve for CV Central, a local contract-
their lives.” or in Tuhemberua sub-district. Q: What do you see as the
main challenges in
UN IN INDONESIA
Another Nias resident, 23 year- Both Kiki and Lisna hope to be implementing the Convention
old Meslina Gea (Lisna) still an example to other women in on the Elimination of All Forms
can’t believe she has landed a Riau. To date, there are five of Discrimination Against
job as a site supervisor. As a women in Riau who have Women (CEDAW) in
former computer operator and successfully passed the ILO Indonesia?
administration assistant in a training and are working as site
Junior High School, she would supervisors. A: Indonesia has made
never even dream of pursuing progressive change towards
a career in road construction ILO's Nias Rural Access and effective implementation of the
work – until training was made Capacity Building Project Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination
available to her. “I learned a (RACBP): aims to support the
Against Women (CEDAW),
lot during the training about residents in targeted areas on including putting in place legal
road construction techniques, Nias Islands by improving rural and normative frameworks for
maintenance and management. transport infrastructure to en- the protection of women’s
I was closely coached to hance access to economic and rights, signed (but not ratified)
achieve the required profes- social services. Funded by the Optional Protocol,
sional standards,” Lisna said. Multi-Donor Trust Fund for strengthened efforts of the
Aceh and North Sumatra, the Ministry of Women
For Lisna, the most serious project seeks to use local Empowerment in coordinating,
obstacle to her new career was resource-based approach to supporting, monitoring and
convincing her family that she create jobs for Nias resisidents. advocating for women’s
equality and gender
mainstreaming, there has
been a remarkable victory in
UNITED! UNITED! UNITED! increasing women’s
BUILDING EQUITY OF representation in national
legislature from 11.8 percent
OPPORTUNITY THROUGH SPORTS in 2004 to 18 percent in the
2009. Gaps and challenges
Jakarta - It’s a cloudy day today Looking at the smooth flow of remain. Entrenched
in Jakarta; the sun is com- their game, you could be patriarchal attitudes and
pletely hidden by a grey sky forgiven for assuming all the stereotypes about the roles
and there is a threat of rain in players came from one country and responsibilities of women
the air. The football pitch is not – but they represent different and men in the family and
a professional one, and there nations and speak different society persist, limiting
are no grand terraces for languages. women’s access to
spectators. opportunities. Equality of
Adjacent to this match, another access and results for women
But the risk of rain and the lack game is under way. The pitch is and girls need to be
of comfort doesn’t discourage smaller than normal, the integrated in all development
the children running on the number of players only five in plans and programmes.
Uneven knowledge, skills and
football field, following and each team, and the duration of
know-how of development
kicking the ball. the match is just five minutes partners is another challenge.
for each half. But this dimin- While gender is a cross-
These are young athletes from utive match has drawn the sectoral issue, but
the ASEAN Primary School larger crowds, where players
Sports Olympiad (APSSO). like Zulkarnain from Singapore, (continues)
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January-March, 2011
implementation tends to be in
silos with limited coordination.
And commitment to gender
equality and women’s
empowerment cannot
materialize without increasing
financing for gender equality.
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January-March, 2011
playing happily. This is a Olympic Committee, the traordinary football match.
positive process that must be national Para-Olympic Commit-
taught from childhood.” tee, and the Special Olympics When the game is over, all the
and with the support of players rest together, sitting on
But today soccer isn’t only UNICEF and the British the field. They smile and laugh,
breaking down political barriers: Council. recalling the funniest moments
it breaks barriers among of the match. Asking them who
children with different abilities, “There will be some under- their idol is, there is further
promotes self-esteem, and standing that the children with confirmation that there is no
brings people together to make normal abilities will respect difference among them – they
friends. This game is part of a those who have special needs; all answer “Ronaldo!”
UN IN INDONESIA
UN YOUTH CHAMPION
(continued from p. 1)
On the other hand, licit drugs needed for Dr. Sri Suryawati, INCB Vice-President
medical treatment are not readily available in all
parts of the world, including Indonesia. More ulatory constraints, difficulties in distribution, and
than 80 per cent of the world’s population has the absence of a comprehensive health policy
no or insufficient access to pain relief drugs and that includes pain treatment. The Board urges
are suffering unnecessary pain because of it, Governments to take action, to collect statistical
according to the INCB Report. Barriers include data on licit drug requirements, adapt legislation
lack of education of health professionals, reg- and improve education and training.
ANTI-CORRUPTION KEY TO
SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT
Jakarta – Home to 10 per cent undermining the nation’s best Indonesia (WALHI), and Prof.
of the global forest cover, efforts in sustainable forestry Rudy Satrio of Universitas
Indonesia is a leading legal management? This remains an Indonesia, one of Indonesia’s
timber supplier to the world’s open question – and the topic foremost experts on criminal
global markets. But according of the first UNODC anti- law.
to Government estimates some corruption talk series event for
three to five hectares of forest "It is easy to prove the act of
are lost to illegal logging every illegal logging,” Prof. Satrio said
minute of every day. during a discussion on
prosecution of illegal loggers.
The cost of this illegal logging “The real challenge is to reach
to the environment and to the and prosecute the kingpins
state, is mind-boggling. Take behind the illegal operations,”
2003 as an example: the he said. Because of the strong
country lost more than 1.8 link between corruption and
million hectares of forest that illegal logging, Prof. Satrio said,
year, for a value of almost 43.7 effective use could be made of
trillion IDR (4.8 billion USD), anti-corruption legislation to
according to some estimates. prosecute these ecological
2011, held in partnership with crimes. “Indonesia's law on the
The grease that keeps illegal the United Nations Information eradication of corruption should
chainsaws spinning: corruption. Centre (UNIC) in February. be used. Indeed, there are
Special guests included Mr. several cases that can be used
How to tackle the corruption Deddy Ratih, Campaign Man- as precedent,” he explained,
which in its many forms risks ager at Friends of the Earth adding that coordination
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January-March, 2011
between law enforcement offi- of the forest is illegal. They felled in the country’s forests,
cials, and strengthening of the have legal permits but they also according to Indonesia’s work-
forestry monitoring system, are engage in illegal activities, like ing group on forest finance.
also essential. extending far past the areas in
which they are allowed to log". A lively question-and-answer
Making matters difficult, said session followed the presenta-
Mr. Ratih, is the fact that there Further complicating factors tions, with more than 50 repres-
are many grey areas in what include imbalances created by entatives of the public sector,
appears to be a black-and- market supply and demand, Mr. civil society groups, interna-
white contrast between illegal Ratih said. For example: 54 tional donors, academicians,
and legal logging operations. percent of the pulp and paper and media present.
UN IN INDONESIA
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January-March, 2011
commitment as well as being a very important Programme to expand and scale-up the
issue for Indonesia and ASEAN as whole, Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production
especially on the policy and incentives level. (RECP) in ASEAN, which is funded by the
Government of Austria.
The seminar was part of the UNIDO Regional
"Working together
under government
leadership is the
only way the UN –
government
partnership can lead
to sustainable
positive change"
El-Mostafa Benlamlih,
UN Resident
Coordinator in
Indonesia
Michele Zaccheo,
Director of UNIC
Jakarta
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January-March, 2011
Young people from around the world are invited to enter the 2011 International Essay Contest
organized by the Goi Foundation and UNESCO.
The theme for this year's contest is: "My Story of Inspiration" – Many people experience inner
change that motivates them to create a better world.
The deadline for entry is June 30, 2011.
Prize winners will receive a cash award and will be invited to Japan for the award ceremony.
UN IN INDONESIA
DID YOU 85% of Indonesian girls aged 15-19 have at least one major
KNOW? misconception about HIV/AIDS, or never heard of AIDS (UNICEF)
The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official views or
policies of the United Nations. The information herein may be freely reproduced. UN IN
INDONESIA is published electronically by the United Nations Information Centre, Jakarta
e-mail: unic-jakarta@unic-jakarta.org
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