“Happy Habitat Day, keep striving and work hard to improve housing and settlements in Indonesia”, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono addressed the experts and stakeholders on housing and environment during World Habitat Day (WHD) audience in the State Palace (3 October 2014). He also expressed his full support for the 100-0-100 program from the Ministry of Public Works that aims to achieve 100% access to drinking water, zero slums as well as to improve access to sanitation up to 100%.
The President also mentioned that Indonesia is now part of emerging economies. In 2000, one out of five Indonesian lived below the poverty line and it has decreased to one out of eight in 2013. Furthermore the government has allocated tens of trillions to speed up the improvement of living standars through the National Program for Community Empowerment (PNPM Mandiri). PNPM Mandiri is one of the largest community empowerment program in the world.
Indonesia needs to move forward beyond its current achievement. According to the Ministry of Public Work, Indonesia has slum areas of 34,374 Ha inhabited by 34.4 million people in 2014. The 100-0-100 targets are the objectives of the Medium Term National Development Plan (2015-2019). To realize cities without slums, however, more attention to the slums character and aspirations of the people living in slums is necessary. This message is in line with this year's theme of WHD, “Voices from Slums”.
The Indonesian government, led by the Ministry of Public Works, commemorates the 2014 WHD by inviting relevant stakeholders to participate in eradicating slum areas in Indonesia. A series of activities held in Jakarta from 2-12 October 2014, among others are the selection of City Changers, Stakeholders Forum and Exhibition, Youth Forum on Habitat, Synergy on Slums, Habitat Fun Run and Audience with the President. WHD is also celebrated at local level, making the celebration more inclusive.
