The state we want to be in?

This was an article that was written for a local NGO newsletter.  It was actually published in October 2005, but we forgot to add it to the blog until now.  This is an issue that cuts to the heart of how Indonesia is supposed to develop over the next few years, i.e., are we building a social democracy with strong state-provided services, or something else?   

In the time that I have been working in Indonesia I have heard the word 'partnership' mentioned many times in many meetings. These partnerships have predominantly referred to the relationship between NGOs and the community, but partnerships are much more complex than that, and may need to encompass many different strata of state and civil society.  For instance, in my view, a partnership that does not include the local government excludes an important stakeholder.

I have heard  many complaints about government and witnessed how they are excluded from discussions on the delivery and improvement of services. It has also been my personal experience that when the government (and I include my work for them in this statement)  tries to implement positive changes these are often dismissed out of hand because of the habitual view that the government will never change, and if it does then the changes will not be for the better.   Historical experience obviously plays a part in this mind set, but it may ultimately hinder the progress of Indonesia by perpetuating such prejudices.   Furthermore, many complaints are not informed by personal experience, but merely recycle generalizations that are not helpful when considering a large and diverse institution.  This said, I am not proposing that working with the local health department has been easy, and I have encountered skill gaps, frustrations with hierarchy and pockets of corruption.   However, could government be said to have a monopoly on these traits in Indonesia? 

A more self-sufficient Indonesia, no longer reliant on outside aid, surely pre-supposes a stronger and more competent local government structure, one that is accountable, transparent and capable of delivering services according to the needs of the community.   Hitherto,  VSO and other agencies have worked separately rather than alongside government and concentrated on building the capacity of local NGOs. However, as these are private service providers dependent on identifying community needs in order to obtain external resources, they could be considered competitors of government rather than partners of it.   

As government structure strengthens and becomes more effective, the NGOs will need to adapt.  They may find  that the gaps in service delivery start to narrow, and opportunities for intervention reduce.  This is of course a desirable outcome for Indonesia, but it would be idealistic to propose that in the next decade government will be fulfilling its duty of provision of services and outside agencies are no longer required.   A healthy, modern well-organized NGO sector will have an important role in challenging and holding government to account and standing up for the rights of the most disadvantaged in society, who may be the last to benefit from a more prosperous Indonesia.  To be most effective in this role, NGOs may need to become 'critical friends' of a socially democratic government rather than implacable enemies.  Achieving this will require some shifts of perspective in both the Government and the NGO sector.

It is therefore encouraging that new leaders are emerging within the health department and emphasizing the importance of public services.  In Sikka, each department is using formal analysis tools (borrowed from the NGO sector) to identify health problems, discuss intervention methods and prioritize action.  Furthermore, we are in the process of discussing the importance of data, methods of analyzing and interpreting data and how best to feedback to the Puskesmas and Posyandu, so the information path is a circular process.  We are redesigning reporting tools within the Dinas and the field to make data collection more accurate and less time consuming, so more emphasis is spent on patient care and health service delivery rather than form filling.  We are striving to improve co-operation between government departments and promote the benefits of a more co-coordinated approach throughout the whole chain of stakeholders involved in the delivery of health care. 

This is a significant evolution for local government and deserves to be encouraged and supported by non-state institutions and NGOs.  There is still a high mountain to climb, but a climate of partnership and mutual trust is certainly the most effective way to reach the summit together.