Aceh Hosts Thematic Forum to Strengthen Inclusive Development Planning

As a concrete measure in implementing Aceh Governor Regulation No. 12 of 2025 concerning Public Participation in Development, the Aceh Provincial Government hosted the Thematic Forum on Inclusive Planning for the Fulfilment of Basic Services for 2027. This forum served as a space for dialogue between the regional government, civil society organisations, organisations of persons with disabilities and community group representatives to ensure that the aspirations and needs of citizens—vulnerable groups in particular—are integrated into the regional development planning process.

The forum was attended by 23 Aceh Government Working Units (SKPA), 24 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and 8 Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs). SKPAs were able to gain a more profound understanding of community needs, while the public received information regarding the mechanisms, stages and authorities within the development planning process, ensuring that the proposals submitted are better aligned with policy direction and can be considered for inclusion in the 2027 Aceh Government Work Plan (RKPA).

From this dialogue process, the forum successfully identified issues and requirements in the community that require attention in regional planning. Proposals raised encompassed the social, educational and economic sectors, the development of disability-friendly public facilities, as well as the enhancement of public access to basic services.

To ensure these proposals are followed up in a more targeted manner, the Aceh government applied an approach based on data and field condition analysis. Each proposal was analysed and mapped to align with regional development priorities. The SKPAs also verified that the submitted proposals fell within the authority of their respective sectors before being integrated into the regional planning documents.

The Head of the Aceh Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Zulkifli, emphasised that this forum plays a vital role in strengthening the quality of inclusive regional development planning. ‘This forum delivers meaningful results, particularly in accommodating the proposals and perspectives emerging within the community.’

According to Zulkifli, high-quality development requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders to ensure the resulting policies genuinely address community needs. This forum hopes to provide momentum to strengthen collaboration between the regional government and civil society networks in the development planning process.

In addition to being a place to raise aspiration, this thematic forum was utilised as a testing ground for the final draft of the technical guidelines on public participation in development  currently being developed by the Aceh Government. Through this trial, the guidelines are expected to clarify the mechanisms and stages of public participation in development.

Components within the draft technical guidelines were directly tested, from the participant identification process, discussion facilitation methods and proposal submission mechanisms to the coordination processes among stakeholders. This trial provided an overview of the effectiveness of the designed procedures and identified aspects that still require refinement prior to the guidelines being formalised.

The forum series was supported by SKALA, the Australia–Indonesia Partnership for Accelerated Basic Services. SKALA’s support reinforced an equitable space for dialogue, enabling the regional government, CSOs, OPDs and community representatives to exchange information, experiences and perspectives on development needs in Aceh.

As a follow-up, the Aceh Government is committed to establishing the thematic forum as a regular consultation mechanism. The government will also strengthen cross-SKPA coordination to integrate issues of inclusion, gender equality and disability into the 2027 development planning, as well as enhance the capacity of CSOs/civil society networks and OPDs in the planning, budgeting and safeguarding of development proposals.