National governments set overarching economic and development goals, but it is local authorities—those closest to the people—who understand best how to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level.
To address this, the United Nations in Indonesia has launched a new joint programme aimed at supporting local authorities—at the provincial, district, and municipal levels—by improving the availability of accurate data for informed policymaking.
“While governments design national policies and development frameworks, districts and municipalities have their finger on the pulse of communities. They are uniquely positioned to identify challenges and implement development projects that respond to their populations' needs,” said Gita Sabharwal, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Indonesia. “This requires reliable and accessible local data, which is the central focus of this new programme.”
Government data shows that Indonesia is on track to meet 62% of the SDG indicators. However, significant challenges remain in areas such as nutrition and gender equality, where progress has been slower. Development has also been uneven, with notable regional disparities. Accelerating progress in the areas most left behind requires tailored interventions, which, in turn, rely on accurate, localized data. Unfortunately, data availability at the district and municipal levels remains limited, particularly for socioeconomic SDG indicators.
The new joint programme, with the participation of the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), will address this gap by developing mechanisms to generate more reliable local data using a modeling methodology known as small area estimation. The programme will also assist in creating a national regulatory framework to strengthen SDG planning, monitoring, evaluation, and financing at the local level. Additionally, it will establish national guidelines and protocols to improve data availability and its utilization for SDG progress.
Vivi Yulaswati, Deputy of Maritime Affairs and National Resources at the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), highlighted that the online SDG Dashboard—developed by BAPPENAS in collaboration with the UN in Indonesia—will be upgraded into a comprehensive, one-stop database and digital monitoring and evaluation system. This enhanced platform will provide insights into SDG progress to inform and strengthen local development plans.
“With accurate data and exposure to best practices from across the country, we can equip subnational governments with the tools they need to design and implement well-targeted programmes that deliver measurable impact towards achieving the SDGs,” Ms. Yulaswati said.
The one-year programme is funded by the Joint SDG Fund. It complements other ongoing efforts by the UN in Indonesia to support subnational governments, such as facilitating Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). VLRs enable local and regional governments to assess their SDG progress and prioritize actions based on the findings.
“By working collaboratively and in complementary ways, BAPPENAS and the UN can ensure subnational governments have the necessary support to achieve meaningful and inclusive progress towards the SDGs,” Ms. Sabharwal emphasized.
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
