Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Conference on Indonesia’s Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals: Toward Decent Work for All
Two-day Conference demonstrating the commitment and responses of Indonesia to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Conference will be attended by key Indonesian labour actors and will be facilitated by ILO's experts and specialists.
The Minister of Manpower of Indonesia, M. Hanif Dhakiri and the Deputy Director-General of the ILO for Field Operations and Partnerships, Gilbert Houngbo, opened the jointly hosted conference which will focus on the relationship between labour market institutions and laws, inclusive economic growth, full employment and decent work.
“promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.”
Other SDG Goals are relevant to the ILO mandate. In particular, it is important to consider SDG Goal 10, which commits all States to:
“reduce inequality within and among the countries”
In fact, as in many middle income countries, reducing inequality is an urgent issue for the government to tackle which is strongly reflected in the national development plans and highlighted in the economic and social policy planning of Indonesia.
The Government of Indonesia played a significant role in developing the SDGs and was a leader among middle income countries in the negotiations that took place at the United Nations in New York over the last few years. At the international level, Indonesia has also made very strong commitments to decent work and played a critical role in ensuring that ILO issues were included in the SDGs.
Indonesia has also been active at the country level in supporting the SDG negotiations. In February 2015, during the SDG negotiations, the Government of Indonesia joined with the ILO to host a conference in Jakarta to discuss various components of the then proposed Goal 8. This conference brought together senior Government officials, trade union leaders, employer representatives, academics and the international community to discuss the relationship between labour market policies and inclusive growth. In March 2015, the Indonesian Minister for Manpower subsequently played a critical role at an international meeting held in New York on the same topic.
In the meantime, global economic conditions have deteriorated and this will make the achievement of the SDGs, and in particular Goal 8, more challenging in all countries. In Indonesia, the Government has recognised that the country is once again at a critical cross-road in its economic and social development. External factors including the economic slowdown in China, plummeting commodity prices and pronounced volatility in Asian financial markets has led to concerns about future growth and employment prospects.
To initiate the dialogue among the main stakeholders in the labour and employment area and to discuss policy recommendations for Indonesia, the ILO and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) agree to jointly organize a SDGs Conference – Indonesia’s Agenda for SDGs towards Decent Work for All”.
Purpose and objectives of the conference
- provide a forum for the Government, employers, trade unions, academics and representatives of relevant international and financial institutions to discuss the impact of various labour policies and institutions on the objectives included in SDGs, particularly in SDG 8. Other critical labour market issues and potential reforms will also be discussed at the conference.
- serves as a forum to review the achievements and challenges on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to give inputs and suggestions to make better plan and pathways for its economic, social and environmental development under the SDGs.
- initiate a dialogue among ILO tripartite constituents and other relevant stakeholders on SDG implementation and to provide policy recommendations for Indonesia.
- focus on implementation of SDGs and, in particular Goal 8, in Indonesia will be used to draw lessons for other middle income countries that are seeking to ensure their labour laws and institutions are well designed for promoting inclusive growth, full employment and decent work. Many ILO Member States are in a similar situation to Indonesia or are seeking to make the transition from lower income status to middle income status by 2030.
Background
In September 2015 World Leaders met at the United Nations and adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Of particular importance to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is Goal 8, which commits all States to:“promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.”
Other SDG Goals are relevant to the ILO mandate. In particular, it is important to consider SDG Goal 10, which commits all States to:
“reduce inequality within and among the countries”
In fact, as in many middle income countries, reducing inequality is an urgent issue for the government to tackle which is strongly reflected in the national development plans and highlighted in the economic and social policy planning of Indonesia.
The Government of Indonesia played a significant role in developing the SDGs and was a leader among middle income countries in the negotiations that took place at the United Nations in New York over the last few years. At the international level, Indonesia has also made very strong commitments to decent work and played a critical role in ensuring that ILO issues were included in the SDGs.
Indonesia has also been active at the country level in supporting the SDG negotiations. In February 2015, during the SDG negotiations, the Government of Indonesia joined with the ILO to host a conference in Jakarta to discuss various components of the then proposed Goal 8. This conference brought together senior Government officials, trade union leaders, employer representatives, academics and the international community to discuss the relationship between labour market policies and inclusive growth. In March 2015, the Indonesian Minister for Manpower subsequently played a critical role at an international meeting held in New York on the same topic.
In the meantime, global economic conditions have deteriorated and this will make the achievement of the SDGs, and in particular Goal 8, more challenging in all countries. In Indonesia, the Government has recognised that the country is once again at a critical cross-road in its economic and social development. External factors including the economic slowdown in China, plummeting commodity prices and pronounced volatility in Asian financial markets has led to concerns about future growth and employment prospects.
To initiate the dialogue among the main stakeholders in the labour and employment area and to discuss policy recommendations for Indonesia, the ILO and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) agree to jointly organize a SDGs Conference – Indonesia’s Agenda for SDGs towards Decent Work for All”.