October 2012

UN IN INDONESIA
PARTNERS FOR THE DIGITAL ERA
Pictured: United Nations Resident Coordinator Mr. ElMostafah Benlamlih and Minister for National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas Prof. Dr. Armida S. Alisjahbana.

PULSE LAB JAKARTA LAUNCHED

Jakarta What can Tweets tell us about inflation? Are internet searches reliable predictors of disease outbreak? And can mobile phone data tell us about whether public health campaigns are successful? moons Global Pulse initiative in partnership with the Government of Indonesia. During her keynote address, Prof. Dr. Armida S. Alisjahbana, Minister for National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, said We are proud to introduce these new tools for development planning and programming here in Indonesia and to be at the forefront in this type of research.

These are the types of questions that will be explored at Pulse Lab Jakarta, an innovation center created to explore how digital data sources (like social media, mobile phone data or internet content) and real-time analytics The UN Resident Coordinator in technologies can support Indonesia, Mr. El-Mostafa development planning. Benlamlih, added that Indonesia is a country where The first of its kind in Asia, new approaches in Pulse Lab Jakarta was development can be pioneered. launched on the 1st of October Other countries may benefit in at a multimedia event at Cyber the future from Indonesias bold 2 Tower in downtown Jakarta. approach to innovative data Pulse Lab Jakarta is a joint research through private-public project of United Nations partnerships. Secretary-General Ban Ki-

Thousands of Indonesia students to participate in UN4U Indonesia 2012. UN4U in Indonesia is part of UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoons 2008 global initiative to raise awareness among youth about the work of the United Nations. This year the campaign in Indonesia is endorsed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and will consist of 35 UN4U events in 13 provinces.

UN IN INDONESIA October, 2012

Pulse Lab Jakarta Launched, continued.

Indonesia, with a population that actively uses digital technologies, as well as a fast-growing tech business sector, is one of the worlds richest sources of digital data, which is commonly called "Big Data" due to its sheer quantity, diversity and speed. At the launch event, Global Pulse Director Robert Kirkpatrick said the field of Big Data analysis is developing quickly. He said that in the last two years Global Pulse has been able to attract some of the worlds best data analysts and private sector companies Example of Global Pulse data from the Launch (Source: Bappenas) who recognize that data can be a resource of the preliminary evidence of real-time social medias public good, and that the Pulse Lab in Jakarta potential for improving the public sectors will do the same to foster such partnerships in capacity to assess vulnerability to rising prices of food and fuel by approximating official statistics. Indonesia. The launch event featured initial finding from Pulse Lab Jakartas first project, a collaboration with two technology partners SAS and Crimson Hexagon which focused on the potential of using social media analytics to identify populations and regions under stress as a result of fluctuating prices of commodities like food and fuel. The goal of the exploration was to see whether social media could help detect, quantify and understand, trends related to the communitys concerns and coping strategies, in real-time. Pulse Lab researchers identified content in Indonesian Twitter, blogs and other social media from the past two-years related to price and supply of food and fuel, and analyzed them to understand volume, sentiment, mood and geographic origin, and then compared the trends over time to official government statistics. At the launch, Dr. Ir. Lukita Dinarsyah Tuwo, Vice Minister for National Development Planning and Dr. Vivi Yulaswati, MSc, Director of Social Protection and Welfare, Bappenas demonstrated Over the coming year, the Pulse Lab will collaborate on projects with partners such as ILO, UNICEF and WFP, researching changes in social welfare, especially with regard to food and fuel prices, and employment issues in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Makassar (South Sulawesi) and Medan (North Sumatera). Several academic organizations, NGOs and private sector companies also participated in the launch event, displaying information booths at an Innovation Showcase, demonstrating cutting edge technologies and data collection approaches. Participants included CSIRO, Nokia Life, SAS International, MercyCorps PoliticaWave and more.

UN IN INDONESIA October, 2012

MEDIA: EDUCATING YOUTH ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS KEY

Jakarta - Hundreds of new initiatives were launched during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) in June but according to Indonesias media further action is needed to promote better knowledge of sustainable development. Is there a role for the media in this process? That was one of the questions asked at a media forum organized by UNIC Jakarta and Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) on 6 September. We have developed more programmes to promote the concept of a green economy," said Ibu Niken Widiastuti, President Director of Radio Republic Indonesia (RRI), one of the senior media executives who attended the conference in Brazil. We want to be part of the Government of Indonesia's effort to successfully implement a green lifestyle." Asep Setiawan of Metro TV argued that visual media can a have an especially important role as the audience can visualize how the environment is affected and see ways to save it." Senior editors all agreed that Indonesias youth are a crucial audience for advancing the sustainability agenda. This is perhaps one area in which Indonesia can lead the way, with the media actively involved in a consultation with young people about what form of development they aspire to, and how the environment and social protect fit into their vision, said Michele Zaccheo, Director of UNIC Jakarta. We do need to educate young people about of green living and the environment," said Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, Chief Editor of The Jakarta Post. This is now perceived as an 'alternative lifestyle', but we need to show everyone ways to live more sustainably. At the same time, he warned against taking too simplistic a view of the sustainability debate by focusing exclusively on the environment. Most people still think sustainable development is only about the environment but it is primarily about development, he said.

RRI, the UN, and the World Radio Republic Indonesia (RRI) is expanding its on-air programming on the global issues that matter to Indonesians and the international community. The cooperation between RRI and the United Nations Information Centre Jakarta is ongoing, but will be formalised with the signing of a Letter of Cooperation on 24 October, UN Day. The partnership foresees more regular programming on UN and Indonesia priority issues across the spectrum of the RRI channels, both in Bahasa Indonesia and English, with UNIC assisting in the coordination of spokespersons and experts from across the UN family in Indonesia. RRI has recently added an English lunchtime programme for the Jakarta Metro area on its Pro1 91.2 FM (12:00-13:00 hrs), featuring guests from the diplomatic community. Recent RRI-UN collaborations include: National Broadcast on Womens Issues for Breastfeeding Week with UNICEF & WHO - Thursday 2 August

The Cultural Landscape of Bali: Indonesias 8th UNESCO World Heritage Site

Bali - The Cultural Landscape of Bali has been added onto UNESCOs World Heritage list. The full name of the inscription is the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy. The Tri Hita Karana concept focuses on keeping harmony and balance Jakarta Metro forum for between human to God, human-to-human and human to International Day of Democracy with environment. UNIC - Tuesday 18 September
National Broadcast for World Humanitarian Day with OCHA, New Zealand AID & DRP Indonesia Saturday 18 August National Broadcast Indonesia Menyapa with UNIC, UNESCO, Indonesia Model UN, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Atma Jaya Saturday 29 September National Broadcast on Global Youth Forum with UNFPA Youth Advocate - Monday 1 October On 24 October, UNIC along with RRI and TVRI will be hosting a joint program to commemorate UN Day. Balis Landscape is now World Heritage

UN IN INDONESIA October, 2012

Q&A with GINA MEUTIA

OLYMPIC LEGACY REACHES RURAL INDONESIA

Ureng, South Sulawesi - The schoolyard of primary school SDN29 in Ureng, Bone, Indonesias South Sulawesi province might be 13,000 kilometres away from the Olympic stadium in London, but that doesnt stop it from being full of sporting excitement. At its sports field, the barefooted students compete in a race that involves coconut shells and plastic plates. Students are in two competing teams as they run while balancing a pair of coconut shells and to turn over the most number of plastic plates. Their friends shout and cheer in support. This thriving scene of physically active children is a recent development, according to teachers and parents. Last year, the schools Physical Education teacher was trained by UNICEF in partnership with International Inspiration, the official international sports legacy programme of London 2012, to teach sports for development through games and modified sports equipment. A lot of kids used to skip school a lot; some only came twice a week, says Nurdin, who has taught at the school for 7 years. Since we implemented the programme, the students attendance has gone up - kids actually like going to school, he adds. It makes my job easier. The training has also changed the way PE teacher Nur Akbar leads his class. Before, I had them do the same thing for warm-ups: they would do marching and stretching like the military, and running around the sports field. However, now we play games like Turning over Cones, he explains, referring to the race his students were doing in the class earlier. The games usually start in a simple way and, as the children warm up, progress in intensity and skill level, typically with the tasks getting more complex or with the use of more tools. I like walking on stilts and coconut shells because its challenging and because it requires us to concentrate and work with each other, explains 12 year old Indra Anugrah. This new enthusiasm for sports has made parents more supportive of the childrens sporting needs. Muhammad Yahya, whose two girls attend the school, says when he found out that the school had made a new pair of futsal (five-a-side soccer) goals, he offered his skill as a soccer player to coach its club. (Continues Page 5)

Gina has been the Public Information and Reporting officer with WFP in Jakarta for three years. Now she's moving on -- as an international UN Volunteer based in Juba, South Sudan. Q: Tell us about your position at WFP A: I handled communications: the preparation of press releases, design for brochures, management of websites and social media networks, as well as other communication related tasks. My five-year experience and my varied background have enabled me to leverage this opportunity as the UNV Operations Officer, in terms of handling progress report and communication tasks,with the UN Department of Peace Keeping Operations in South Sudan. Q: What made you apply for a position with the UN Volunteers (UNV)? A: I have always been a passionate traveler. I enjoy embarking on a journey, which allows me to broaden my horizons and perspectives, through helping others. The values that the UN stands for, in easing the suffering of those in need throughout the world,have become the source of my inspiration. UNV is a step further from national-level development work. Q: Why South Sudan? A: South Sudan is a perfect starting point for me. It is challenging yet adventurous. I believe that once you survive the most difficult duty station the next one would be an easier challenge. (Continues)

UN IN INDONESIA October, 2012

Q&A with Gina Meutia

Q: What do you expect to gain from this mission? A: This is my first peacekeeping mission, which I hope will craft a pathway in international humanitarian work, which in turn would enable me to contribute more to society at large. Q: What have you heard about being a civilian peacekeeper? A: I believe that a peacekeeper gives a balanced perspective to any operation. It is about nurturing peace without the use of firearms, preventing violence from escalating in conflict-affected areas through diplomatic strategies and the protection of human rights. Q: What will your daily task include in South Sudan? A: I will cover the reporting side of the UN Mission in South Sudan operations progress, including giving daily accounts of any outbreaks of security incidents. I will also be the liaison between the UNV and UNMISS civilian and military units in South Sudan. Q: What background skills do you think made you a successful candidate? A: Aside from being lucky I would say that my degree in Mass Communications gave me a slight advantage to secure my position in Sudan. My report writing skills gave me an upper hand for the volunteering spot. My years of experience with WFP were also a focal point in helping me get this volunteering opportunity. Q: How do you feel as an Indonesian national going to work as a peacekeeper? I feel blessed actually. I get to do what I am passionate about. I also feel proud in representing my country. Q: What advice can you give to young people? There is a particular mantra that I engrave in me. "Be careful of what you wish for, cause you might just get it". I believe that if you want something bad enough and work hard for it, one way or another, the universe will help you get it. I know it did, for me.

Artibonite, Haiti - Members of the Indonesian Engineering Company with the UN Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) assisted in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaac that hit Haiti in August, helping to clear uprooted trees that blocked roads all through the city of Artibonite.

OLYMPIC LEGACY REACHES RURAL INDONESIA, CONT.

At Madrasah Ibtidaiyah 48, an Islamic primary school in Pajekko, parents do not just partially fund the construction of its sports field, they also work together to build it. For them, PE classes do not have to be out on the field. On days when the weather doesnt permit any outdoor activities, the students conduct physical activities in their classrooms. These activities are not just focused on enhancing achievements, but also on how to develop the kids into healthy, bright, skilled children with character and integrity, - Taswin Arifin, Head of Bones Office of Education This morning, PE teacher Tamzil leads his 5th grade students to clear all the desks to the side, so they can begin a game of Treasure Hunt, in which students race to collect as many plastic cups in the room. He divides the students into two teams by having each of them draw a card. One of the most helpful aspects is learning simple things like this, which is how to divide the teams equally and fairly, so no kids feel marginalized, Tamzil says. Tamzil has also learned to reach out to children with special needs and who may be less abled. One of his students with a disability in the fourth grade had previously been too shy to join the PE class. She was so shy she wouldnt even leave her classroom, he recalls. So to get her to move, I started out by rolling a ball back and forth with her in the classroom. Eventually I could get her to leave the classroom, and join the PE class by observing her friends, and drawing or taking notes of them, he explains. Since its inception in mid-2011, the training has involved teachers, coaches and leaders in 50 primary and secondarylevel schools, community learning centres and sports clubs in 9 sub districts in Bone, one of the poorest parts of Indonesia. The Head of Bones Office of Education, Taswin Arifin, is positive about its bigger impact. These activities are not just focused on enhancing achievements, but also on how to develop the kids into healthy, bright, skilled children with character and integrity, he says. Characteristics, it should be noted, worthy of any Olympian.

UN IN INDONESIA October, 2012

This excerpt is the second in a series of articles on the work of the UN in Aceh and Nias
Banda Aceh, Aceh - Faisal Amin considers himself to be a lucky man. Seated with friends at his home in Lammanyang village, Peukan Bada (Aceh Besar), he is happy to be remarried, and to farm in the fields surrounding his home. Not long ago, things were looking bleak for Faisal. Aceh turned into a sea of debris, sediment and lifeless bodies shortly after a 9.1-magnitude earthquake in 2004 generated a catastrophic tsunami. Faisal had been in Jakarta when the disaster rocked Aceh on December 26 of that year. He lost his three children. His youngest was eight at the time of death. His wife also passed on. He returned to Peukan Bada a broken man. His home, like those of his neighbors, was unrecognizable. I am 49 this year, but I bet you thought I must be in my late 60s, correct? I did not look like this before. You should have seen what I had come back to, Faisal says. Faisal said he could feel himself turning old when he saw pigs grunting and milling around the land where his home has stood. Long, thin snakes slithered out from the ground and into the remains of his house. Pile upon piles of rock-hard dirt, some up to 30 centimeters thick, surrounded the area, covering hectares of previously arable farmland. I was living in a jungle. The piles of dirt were so thick and I would be shoveling by myself, and it would still not clear up. We would always have more work to deal with because there were very few of us left in the village. , Faisal said. So, we went to the local administration offices to ask for help to clear the land. The administration picked out the areas that were in most critical need. Among them was my village, he said. This was how Faisal first became acquainted with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The land around Faisals home was just a small portion cleared by a coalition of organizations including UNDP after the tsunami struck Aceh. At least 239,000 cubic meters of debris was cleared in Aceh Jaya and Aceh Besar districts to allow for farming to start anew. Across Aceh the UNDPs Tsunami Recovery Wa s t e M a n a g e m e n t P r o g r a m cleared 1,200 hectares of land. By 2011, the project had helped over 1,900 households to resume cultivation. From satellite imagery, UNDP learned that the ruined agricultural land amounted to 26,000 hectares. To meet this challenge, a coalition was formed involving the UNDP, Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Agency for Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Aceh (BRR), Oxfam, and others. What needed to be done basically was come in with heavy equipment, literally scrape the dirt off and then come in with the farmers who would help do the manual labor and help clean the fields. In order to start that, we had to have community consensus, said Lesley Wright, a communications specialist with UNDP. She explained that initially they had meetings with village communities to know exactly where the land clearance needed to take place and which families had been left behind.

You should have seen what I had come back to... Now we even plant tomatoes. - Faisal Amin, Aceh Farmer
We had to find out from the people who wants what, whose land belonged to whom and could we actually provide a certain region with the service. UNDP was looking at areas strictly with irrigation schemes set up. The ADB also did quite a few, and the local administrations agricultural agency did some irrigation, Lesley said. UNDP was engaged in contracting the heavy equipment, while community NGOs assisted with facilitating the actual contracts. When Lesley next visited Faisals home in Peukan Bada, Faisal admitted that he was happy now, looking out at the fertile fields all around him. Faisal is a devout Muslim. He said that for a Muslim in living in a rural village, only two things mattered. First: prayers five times a day. Second: planting rice paddies. People who are poor in the villages are not necessarily hungry. Because they can plant rice, Faisal said. Now we even plant tomatoes, he added with a grin.

Farmers in tsunamiaffected Aceh, seven years after the disaster. UNDP supported the clearance of tsunami debris on coastal farmland in Aceh.

UN IN INDONESIA October, 2012

As part of celebrations for International Literacy Day 2012, Indonesia was recently awarded one of two UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prizes. The Directorate of Community Education Development in Indonesia was congratulated on its efforts to improve the quality of literacy education through entrepreneurship literacy, reading culture and tutor training. The programme, an Indonesian Government initiative, involves almost three million people and places special emphasis on women having access to basic literacy training. At the 67th General Assembly: Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon and Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia discussed Indonesias important moderating role with regard to acts of intolerance and the reactions they generate.They also discussed disaster risk reduction and the Presidents leadership role in this field; the work of the High Level Panel on the post-2015 global development agenda; and UN reform efforts. The Secretary-General and the President also exchanged views on the UN-ASEAN partnership, Myanmar, TimorLeste, and Syria. They are both looking forward to the upcoming 5th ASEAN-UN Summit.

NEWS IN BRIEF

The Batur Global Geopark, northeast Bali is a new member of the Global Network of National Geoparks, a UN-backed list launched to promote management of the worlds geological heritage. Four geological sites of exceptional scientific and educational importance, rarity or beauty were added. The site is centred around the Batur volcano, which is still active and forms part of a long chain of similar volcanoes in Indonesia. The area lies between two large volcanic craters that formed about 22,000 years ago and is rich in elements of macro and micro-volcanic landforms produced by the volcano across several thousands of years. In addition to the scientific value of the site, the park also showcases specific customs related to the Balinese Hindu religion. Indonesia is the 5th country worldwide in terms of Twitter users & volume

Each day in Jakarta, there a 9 million tweets made 90% of Indonesian Internet users are on Facebook 10-25% of Indonesians regularly access the internet, including via Internet cafes and mobile devices Find out how your Tweets can help the development of Indonesia here: http://www.unglobalpulse.org/pulse-lab/jakarta

DID YOU KNOW?

- FAO supports restructuring of the Greater Jakarta areas Chicken Market - Sabang Islands elimination of malaria campaign (UNICEF)

IN THE NEXT ISSUE

UN IN INDONESIA October, 2012

OCTOBER
1 October - Jakarta Pulse Lab Launch 1 October - International Day of Older Persons 1 October - World Habitat Day 1-24 October - UN4U Campaign 5 October - Making Disaster Risk Management into Everyones Business with UNDP at Universitas Udayana, Bali, 1pm 5 October - FAO UN4U event at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 7 October - FAO/CAPSA UN4U event at Institut Pertanian Bogor, Bogor, 1pm 8 October - Making Disaster Risk Management into Everyones Business with UNDP at Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, 2pm 9 October - National Workshop "Developing a National Strategy to Strengthen Human Resources Capacities and Skills to Advance Green, Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development", Hotel Santika Jakarta, 8.30-17.00 9 October - The United Nations: Past, Present and Future Priorities in the Global Agenda with UNIC at Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 9.30am 9 October - Building The Future We Want For All with UNESCO at Institut Teknologi Bandung, 10am 10 October - World Mental Health Day 10 October - FAO UN4U Event at Universitas Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan 11 October - International Day of the Girl Child 12 October - 10th Anniversary of Bali Bombings 13 October - International Day for Disaster Reduction 15 October - International Day of Rural Women 15 October - MDGS and Youth with UNDP at Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16 October - World Food Day Agriculture Cooperatives key to feeding the world (FAO Ministry of Agriculture) in Palangkaraya, Kalimantan 17 October - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 18 October - UNHCR UN4U event at Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, South Sulawesi 18 October - OCHA UN4U event at Universitas Kristen Indonesia, Jakarta 18 October - The United Nations: Past, Present and Future Priorities in the Global Agenda with UNIC at Universitas Internasional Batam, Riau Islands 18 October - MDGS with UNDP at Universitas Cendrawasih Abepura, Jayapura, Papua, 9am 19 October - Trafficking in Persons with ILO at Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, Salatiga, Central Java, 10am 20 October - UNICEF UN4U event at Universitas Jember, East Java 22-25 October - 5th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR), Yogyakarta 23 October - OCHA UN4U event at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 10am 23 October - Transnational Organised Crime with UNODC at Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, Salatiga, Central Java 23-24 October - UNAIDs Executive Director visit to Indonesia 24 October Advancing the Role of Youth in the Unity in Diversity with UNRC at Sekolah High Scope Indonesia, Jakarta, 2.30pm 24 October - United Nations Day 24-30 October - Disarmament Week

UN CALENDAR

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.org