VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization held the Asia-Pacific Regional Strategic Coordination Meeting with the theme “Science to Enable and Empower Asia Pacific for the Goal of Sustainable Development” in Jakarta on Monday (30/7). Director and Representative of UNESCO in Jakarta, Shahbaz Khan, said that the two-day meeting tried to arrange the UNESCO scientific programs in Asia Pacific as a platform to effectively deliver the implementation of 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

"We have here 17 countries from Asia Pasific come here to discuss how science and technology can help us achieve better sustainable development. And especially for sustainable development goals, 17 of them. The goals like water for example. Water security, how can we eradicate poverty, how can we have better human health, how can we have this transparent system to better data and technology. So that’s the idea here," Shahbaz Khan said.

Furthermore, Shahbaz Khan explained that the Asia-Pacific Region has a significant role to ensure the Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved. Shahbaz Khan also said with an existing of 60% from the world population, the Asia-Pacific Region has immense potentials in developing various forms of cooperation among countries. In addition, Shahbaz Khan said that the Asia-Pacific Region has quite high vulnerability in dealing with several issues, such as natural disasters and equality. According to him, such issues can actually be overcome by the implementation of science and technology. (VOI/Ndy/trs Amanda/NT)

Calculation on Standard of Poverty Rate conducted by the Indonesian government through Central Bureau of Statistics is still higher than that of determined by the World Bank. This was stated by Minister of National Development Planning, Bambang Brodjonegoro in the Merdeka Barat 9 Forum themed “Facts of Poverty Reduction”  in Jakarta, on Monday (30/7). Bambang said that calculation of poverty rate which was conducted by Central Bureau of Statistics uses per capita reference unit and different standard for rural and urban areas.

“It has been above the standard which is usually determined by the World Bank, namely 2 US Dollars per day. We have 2.5 US Dollars per day. And we also must view based on rural and urban areas, namely per capita, per month. Most of all the people live in family. A family averagely has 2 to 3 children. So if there are 400 400 thousands, it must be multiplied with 5. It means 2 million rupiahs per month. Even in Jakarta it reaches 3.1 million per month. The point is it has been in accordance with the standard which has been determined internationally,” said bambang Brodjonegoro.

Furthermore Bambang explained the Central Bureau of Satistics has not calculated poverty rate of food and non-food group based on US dollar exchange rate against the rupiah which is now averagely Rp14,400 per 1 US dollar. But it uses US dollar of Purchasing Power Poverty. The conversion rate of  US dollar of Purchasing Power Poverty is the amount of rupiah which is issued to buy a number of commodities which is equal with 1 dollar in the United States. This year, the Central Bureau of Statistics announces that the number of Indonesia’s poverty is 9.82%. the number is the history for Indonesia, because for the first time, the percentage of poor people is in 1 digit. The Central Bureau of Statistics noted that the number of Indonesian poor people per March 2018, is 25.95million people. The number decreases compared to September 2017, namely 26.58 million people or 10.12 percent. (VOI/REZHA/Trans-yati/AHM)

Chief Executive of National Commission of Indonesia for UNESCO, Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia, Arief Rahman, pushes UNESCO to be able to increase the contribution in utilizing science and technology to solve the defiance, including to reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Chief Executive of Indonesian National Commission of the United Nations for Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -UNESCO, Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, Arief Rahman, said that Indonesia as an archipelagic country has a challenge in facing the climate change. Furthermore, migration, equality, and the fourth Industrial Revolution have become mutual challenges in the Asia Pacific region. It was said by Arif Rahman when attending Regional Strategic Coordination Meeting of Asia Pacific - UNESCO in Jakarta, Monday (30/7). He said that UNESCO as the board of United Nations should be able to contribute in facing the challenge, including the policies which could push efforts in overcoming the challenge of Sustainable Development Goals.

"Currently there have been some issues related to Indonesia, such as climate change. It is a very important thing. Then, urbanization, Poverty which is inequality between the ones who are smart and not, rich and poor, then those who live in the cities and villages. Therefore, we have to see the contribution from science towards the issues. The most important thing is, UNESCO does not only have to think the science, but also the benefit of sustainable development. I think that the most important contribution is the policies," Arief Rahman said.

Furthermore, Arief Rahman added, besides pushing through the policy sector, UNESCO could also play a role in strengthening the capacity of science and technology among member countries. According to Arief Rahman, UNESCO can also contribute by promoting the utilization of the sustainable ecosystem, especially through economic management and biodiversity. (VOI/ANDY/Trs.Rsy/AHM)