 National development has enabled people to enjoy their independence by giving them freedom and empowering them to pursue their ideals and dreams. In the Indonesian population-development scenario among the various indicators, health status ol the people has improved considerably, such that expectancy of life at birth has also increased to 65-70 years. The significant reductions in total fertility rates has, in turn decreased the population growth from 2 percent per year to around 1.2 - 1.3 per year. Both The low micro population growth in farnilies or macro in the national, province and district spheres, has crealed opportunities for families and at the aggregate levels, the region, to plan, execute and enjoy The results of development which were formerly used up by the excessive populalion growth and the capacity and speed of national development.
By : Professor DR Haryono S
IAC of Partners in Population and Development
Contribution Paper for the 10th Board Metting of Partners in
Population and Development
Lesson from Experience
Introductory Note
National development has enabled people to enjoy their independence by giving them freedom and empowering them to pursue their ideals and dreams. In the Indonesian population-development scenario among the various indicators, health status ol the people has improved considerably, such that expectancy of life at birth has also increased to 65-70 years. The significant reductions in total fertility rates has, in turn decreased the population growth from 2 percent per year to around 1.2 - 1.3 per year.
The Background
The Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey 2002-2003 and other studies indicated The following features:
Infanl Mortality has declined markedly from 1 59 per 1 ,000 live births in the early 1960s to 38 per 1,000 live births m 2002.
Life expectancy at birth has increased significantly from the average of 41 years in 1 960 to 66.2 years today.
Malernal Mortality Ratio has also declined markedly from 600 per 1 00,000 live births in the 1 970s to 306 in 2002.
Income per capita has grown fourfold within the period of 1960to 1999, despite the gravity of the rnonetary crisis in 1997/98.
Adult illiteracy also declined encouragingly from 61 percent in 1 960 to 1 2 percent today.
The Bases for Empowering Human Resources
Human development and empowerment are the processes of developing people to Their fullest capacity, to have wider choices and greater opportunities so thal they could lead a far more respected and prosperous lives. Empowerment is highly relevant to the human rights context, which places respect on human dignity and ensures the following freedoms, i.e.:
Tangible Human Development and Empowerment Programs
In ordinary terms human resources development programs can be translated into ernpowerment programs wilh goals and objeclives as determined by the community, and implemented with the full participation and support by the community. In the accelerated terms, those goals and objectives need to be augmented through better eguipping the community with acceleraled and extra efforts. Only with their support and participation, and those extra efforts, could the program benefit all in the community, with full mobilization of their potentials, and Ihrough Ihis can the community as a whole enjoy increased Human Development benefits to the fullest. Those tangible programs could be as the following:
Health Programs
The goal need not be too sophisticated, on the contrary it could be as simple as improving The physical and mental health status of all, increasing the life span of the community members, an enhancing the welfare of all. What would make the difference is that the tempo and momentum of achieving those goals should be accelerated with extra innovative efforts.
Education and Training Programs
The overriding goal is to enhance the intellectual capacities of The younger generation and of children, and of all in general, such that they could in due time develop Their capacities to lead a happy and prosperous family Life, and will be able to contribute to the general welfare of their communities, each according to their own ideals and capacities. In this, gender sensitivity and gender eguality will be endeavored to.
Income Generation Programs
The goal of this program is to provide opportunities to all, especially those underprivileged, including that of the youth and children of these underprivileged families. With these new opportunities they would be able to earn respectable wages, and acquire new skills for future endeavors according to their respective ideals and wishes. This, in effecl is empowering the underprivileged families and their youth and children for their eventual responsibilities in later days
Developing Supportive and Conducive Environment
political commitment of all developmental potentials is essential and bringing them to bear on the shared goals. Also required would be the nurturing of favorable and conducive social environrnent. All of these will originate from the central level, and further translated into province level commitments, and on down to the district and municipalities and local communities. All of these would need to be converted into langible actions in providing facilitation to those in need for this empowerment to bear fruit.
Concluding Notes
This briel contribution paper is an introduclion to simple bul doable acceleraled activities in enhancing development of local potentials, which in aggregate terms will amounl to significant contributions to The national wealth and income. Most advocates are used to the ordinary paced momentum of empowerment and development. What this contribution has attempted to put forth is to further innovate, or to "revolutionize" human development and human empowerment. Acceleration alone would nol satisfy; what would be required is finding new "short-cuts" to make these accelerations institutionalized, sustained and rooted.
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