Context
Reforming the social protection system ranks high on the Indonesian Government's political agenda, and is also firmly embedded in the 2015-2019 National Medium Term Development Plan. In terms of the social market economy, this policy area is seen as an important foundation for long-term economic growth and social cohesion.
Despite major progress over the last four years, large sections of the population, such as the poor, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, still lack sufficient access to social security. There are serious shortcomings concerning access to the social protection system and also with regard to the scope and quality of the services provided. Furthermore, funding for the system has not been secured on a sustainable basis.
Objective
The social protection system is improved.
Approach
The programme works in three closely interlinked areas:
1. Supporting the National Council on Social Welfare and the statutory health insurance institution (BPJS I) in expanding the statutory health insurance introduced in 2014 to cover those population groups not yet insured, and in designing the system such as to ensure its financial sustainability.
2. Advising the Ministry of Social Affairs on professionalising and expanding the national basic social assistance programme for poor families (Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH). Key elements include supporting organisational reform of the Ministry, piloting electronic cash transfers and introducing e-learning for social workers. The consulting company GFA is involved in these activities.
3. Advising the Ministry of Social Affairs on the improved inclusion of people with disabilities. Vocational training and inclusion in the labour market are prioritised in this respect. The pensions and accident insurance institution BPJS II is also receiving advice on setting up a programme to reintegrate victims of occupational accidents into the labour market.
Results achieved so far
In all areas of work, the programme has achieved important results, some of which have exceeded expectations:
• Thanks to the programme's support, the National Council on Social Welfare was able to draw up a national strategy for health insurance, agree it with all the relevant institutions, and give it a high political profile. On this basis, the world's largest contributions-financed statutory health insurance system was launched at the start of 2014. The plan is to offer comprehensive health insurance cover for the entire population by 2019.
• With the programme's support, the number of recipients of the largest Indonesian social transfer programme has tripled. Instead of one million poor families (2011), 3.2 million (2014) now benefit from the programme. The number of recipients is set to increase to six million poor families by 2016.
• In collaboration with the BBRVBD Cibinong vocational training school, the programme has been able to develop new curricula that prepare students with disabilities better for the labour market. As an initial step towards establishing the reintegration programme for victims of occupational accidents, the first two internationally certified case managers for reintegrating people with disabilities into the labour market have been trained. This was done in cooperation with the Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung. Assistance from the programme has also resulted in the drawing up of a national inclusion strategy. The implementation of this strategy is being coordinated by BAPPENAS and the Ministry of Social Affairs.
The importance of social protection and its perception in Indonesia have increased considerably thanks to the programme's support.