16-19 November 2021 | UCLG ASPAC once again uplifted a strong message to act and collaborate for the benefit of local people on the Human Rights Festival 2021, a yearly festival held by the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission, INFID, the Presidential Staff Office, and this year hosted by the Semarang City Government on hybrid mode, taking the theme “Moving Together to Strengthen Diversity, Inclusion and Resilience”. On this occasion, UCLG ASPAC urged relevant stakeholders to act and to collaborate by having relevant parties to sit together, discuss, and presenting the works done to assist in the process.
UCLG ASPAC CRIC Programme Pushing Through Collective Commitment Towards Social and Environmental Justice
UCLG ASPAC under the framework of the Climate Resilient and Inclusive Cities (CRIC) Programme highlighted the importance of healthy environment, urban and climate resilience, and social justice through webinar “Collective Commitment Towards Social and Environment Justice”.
UCLG ASPAC’s Secretary-General Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi explored that women, children, urban poor, people with disabilities and the elderly are the five most vulnerable groups facing climate change impacts. She encouraged local leaders to include these groups in climate actions. “Our fight for social and environmental justice is still far from settled. However, local leaders and government representatives have a significant role in making sure that these people have a role in the collective climate action,” she said.
UCLG ASPAC CRIC Programme also showcased efforts taken by Banjarmasin and Samarinda, two of ten CRIC pilot cities, in developing climate-proof and inclusive policies and actions to spur more innovations.
For Banjarmasin, Mayor H. Ibnu Sina, S.Pi., M.Si. explained, “There are several initiatives in place to promote climate action that consider the needs of people with disabilities. In terms of policies, we have regulations to protect people with disabilities. We provide home care to provide them access to health services. We raise awareness on disaster risks and preparedness at school, and we build accessible infrastructure for people with disabilities.”
As for Samarinda, “We work together with local communities to find solutions to our waste problem through local initiatives. With existing initiatives, we also help local communities earn additional income from waste recycling initiatives,” said the Assistant II of the Regional Secretary of Samarinda Municipal Government drg. Nina Endang Rahayu, M.Kes.
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute’s Senior Researcher, Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima, proposed the incorporation of human rights-based approach when dealing with climate change. “When we’re thinking about climate change, we need to think about how social equity, political voices, and other rights to, as examples, water and energy are also fulfilled within the planetary boundaries, by leaving no one behind,” she said.
Sara Silva of the ECOLISE shared the transformation toolkit to promote community-based climate actions that are “inclusive and participatory.” This toolkit comprises three principles combining collective intelligence (head), compassion (heart) and practicality (hands).
Expanding Voices to Achieve the Goals
On this occasion, UCLG ASPAC also collaborated with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) to share the message through “Just and Rights-Based Cities for Collective Resilience” session. UCLG ASPAC shared collaboration with RWI and City of Gwangju in introducing human rights approach for localising SDGs through co-organising blended learning courses for local governments and supporting the development of a handbook to localise human rights. The session invited the Mayor of Metro City, Lampung Province, dr. H. Wahdi Siradjudin, Sp.OG (K) to present the City’s policies and initiatives on human rights protection as part of the administration’s effort to be the inclusive City.
UCLG ASPAC was also actively taking part in the Festival by co organising the special event entitled “Improving Migration Policy and Governance that Adopts Human Rights Approach to Better Protect Migrant Workers and Accelerate the SDGs Achievement in Asia and the Pacific” together with other key speakers and partners, such as Mr. Rendra Setiawan, Director of Migrant Workers Protection, Ministry of Manpower, Republic of Indonesia; Mr. Ghansyham Pandey, Mayor of Tulsipur Metropolitan City, Nepal, Hj. Nina Agustina, S.H., M.H., C.R.A., Regent of Indramayu, Indonesia, and other experts coming from relevant international organisations and non-state actors.
UCLG ASPAC congratulates its new member, City of Semarang for the successful 2021 Human Rights Festival on hybrid mode, as well as the International Non-Government Organisation Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID), the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission, and the Presidential Staff Office for the strong commitment and partnership to organise the festival despite the pandemic
