Agendas of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have yet to be fully realized where 17 SDGs agendas still become a development plan program. The Implementation of SDGs has yet to be optimal due to the absence of strong national policy and budget support both at the central and regional levels as well as no synchronization of SDGs concept among related ministries. Therefore, support from private parties and community is required to implement the SDGs. Those issues were presented at the international conference entitled Regional and National Approaches toward the Sustainable Development Goals in Southeast Asia and ASEAN which was held at Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM on Wednesday (4/10).
There are 17 goals of SDGs which are no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well being, qualified education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, clean and affordable energy, economic growth and decent work, reducing inequalities, industry, innovation, and infrastructure, sustainable city and community, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice, and strong institution, as well as partnership for the goals.
The conference which was initiated by Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM’s Centre for ASEAN Studies and Center for Southeast Asia and ASEAN Research, Groningen University, Netherlands, discussed regional and national approach toward the Sustainable Development Goals in Southeast Asia and ASEAN. This conference was also attended by international relations experts from Asia and ASEAN, including the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
Lecturer of International Relations as well as Director of Center for ASEAN Studies, Dr. Dafri Agussalim, MA. said the SDGs agendas that have yet to be implemented in Indonesia are clean water access management, gender equality, as well as sea and land ecosystem management. “Of the 17 agendas, gender equality and the development of sea and land ecosystem have yet to be realized,” said Dafri.
Meanwhile, the implementation of SDGs in Southeast Asia, according to Dafri, each nation faces different obstacles. He said the Philippines faces Human Rights issue with their effort to eradicate drugs. On the other hand, several countries in Southeast Asia face a complex democratization process situation. “I think the experience of the democratization process in Indonesia can be implemented in other countries,” he added.
However, according to Dafri, SDGs agendas regarding poverty alleviation and enhancement of education quality as well as good governance also become the main obstacle in every Asian country. Therefore, they require government commitment through program action plan as well as budget support in the implementation of those agendas.
Prof. Ronald Holzhacker, a researcher at Centre for Southeast Asia Studies from Groningen University, said the coordinator of SDGs implementation in Indonesia is National Development Planning Agency (Indonesian acronym: Bappenas), or different from Malaysia which has a special unit under the coordination of the Prime Minister who handles SDGs policy. However, in order to realize the SDGs, according to Ronald, it requires support and participation from private parties and community. “Private parties and community have to be involved,” said Ronald.