The 18 village SDGs are (focused on creating) dynamic village institutions and an adaptive village culture
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Ministry is seeking to utilize village development resources and has formulated 18 goals for empowering members of customary law communities.

Focusing on village infrastructure development has delayed the government’s attempts to empower the customary law communities, Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister, Abdul Halim Iskandar, noted.

Hence, the ministry has issued Minister Regulation Number 20/2021 on village development and village community empowerment to allow the utilization of village development resources for the empowerment of customary law communities, he informed.

Furthermore, the ministry has adapted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations and added one more goal to support the empowerment program, the minister told ANTARA here on Wednesday.

"The 18 village SDGs are (focused on creating) dynamic village institutions and an adaptive village culture," he said.

The additional goal seeks to honor the diverse religions, cultures, languages, and customs of Indonesia, the minister said. It also aims to preserve the local wisdom of the community so that it survives and develops along with productive modern village institutions, he added.

Meanwhile, the adapted SDGs goals envisage the creation of villages without poverty, villages without hunger, healthy and prosperous villages, quality village education, women's involvement in village management, villages with clean water and sanitation, villages with clean and renewable energy, equitable village economic growth, and village infrastructure innovation, Iskandar informed.

In addition, they seek to build villages without inequality, safe and comfortable village settlement areas, eco-friendly village consumption and production, climate change responsive villages, villages involved in marine conservation, villages protecting the terrestrial ecosystem, equitable and peaceful villages, and partnerships for village development, he said.

"Hopefully, the policy can help to expedite the welfare of indigenous people," Iskandar said.

Currently, the ministry is supporting the implementation of the 18 village SDGs in villages across Indonesia. The attempt shows the ministry's commitment to prioritize the empowerment of indigenous people, he remarked.



Translator: Putu Savitri, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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