Indonesia: Partnership for
Knowledge-Based Poverty Reduction
Contact: Vivi Alatas, Email: valatas@worldbank.org


What was the development challenge?

Partners in the Government of Indonesia face challenges in producing rigorous
evidence and applying it to develop policy and program responses to reduce poverty
and vulnerability, tackle inequality, and stimulate job creation. The local supply of
research and analytical services in Indonesia is extremely limited and can be difficult for
policymakers to access.

This program was established in response to a request in 2010 from the Vice-President
of the Republic of Indonesia and his Deputy for Social Welfare for technical assistance
and capacity building to support national efforts to coordinate and integrate national
poverty reduction policies and programs. The initial request focused on supporting
reforms for the country’s array of household-based poverty reduction programs that
target poor households. Increasingly, they are seeking analytical service and technical
assistance. The program is directed toward fulfilling the immediate needs of government
partners that are shifting towards an evidence-based approach to policy making.

What approaches did this project use to deliver solutions?

The program supports the Government of Indonesia by improving evidence-based
policy making for poverty reduction programs and policies. To carry this out, the program
adopts a three-pronged strategy, providing assistance at each stage of the knowledge-
to-policy cycle. First, the program works on providing poverty analytics and building
analytical capacity to inform poverty reduction policies, programs (with a focus on
household-based poverty reduction programs) and poverty reduction strategies. It also
supports the government in the design, implementation, and evaluation of key poverty


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reduction programs. Finally, it works to improve the quality and accessibility of data
required for poverty analysis and policymaking.

What lessons does this project offer for others?

This program has contributed to the shift towards evidence-based policy making in
the poverty and social protection sectors in Indonesia. In 2010, the President elevated
oversight of the poverty strategy to the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty
Reduction (TNP2K), which is chaired by the Vice-President. The National Team is
supported by a Secretariat that is responsible for drafting policies (with a priority on
social assistance reform), establishing a national targeting system, and integrating
monitoring and evaluation activities. The Secretariat includes six working groups that
function as internal “think tanks” to develop evidence-based policies. TNP2K and the
World Bank have contributed to creating an environment where evidence is the basis
for policy recommendations and government decisions on poverty and social protection
sectors.




Source: Anne Cecil Esteve, Matahati Productions, World Bank.

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