Australia Awards in Indonesia (AAI) and SKALA are organizing a Pre-Course Workshop on Governance and Public Policy Making for Subnational Governments (Aceh and Eastern Indonesia) on September 2–4, 2025, in Jakarta. This activity strengthens the capacity of local governments in Aceh and Eastern Indonesia in public governance, planning, budgeting, and inclusive policy-making with a focus on basic services, the implementation of GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion), and the utilization of digitalization. Involving 27 participants from ministries and provincial governments across regions, the workshop featured key speakers from Australia, including Professor Ken Smith and Rachel Nolan. The full support of the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Rob Brazier, and the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya Sugiarto, underscores the commitment of Indonesia and Australia to strengthening governance and public services in the regions. This program is the first step towards intensive training in Australia in October 2025, which is expected to produce agents of change for inclusive, transparent, and sustainable regional development.
The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) ranked in the top five of the 2025 Inclusive Local Government Awards (PPID) from Bappenas, along with DKI Jakarta, Central Java, South Kalimantan, and DIY. This national award was presented at the 6th Inclusion Meeting in Cirebon as recognition of NTT's commitment to realizing inclusive disability development through progressive policies, such as Local Regulation No. 6/2022 and Governor Regulation No. 43/2025, as well as concrete programs in the fields of employment, social protection, and economic empowerment for persons with disabilities. With innovations such as MUSIK KEREN (Inclusive Musrenbang for Vulnerable Groups) and RAD for Persons with Disabilities, NTT has become a model of good practice that inspires other regions in creating participatory and equitable development for persons with disabilities in Indonesia.
Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (TKD), including the General Allocation Fund (DAU), Specific Allocation Funds (DAK), and Village Funds, are vital instruments for promoting gender-responsive and inclusive development, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. This was the focus of the Gender-Responsive Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations (HKPD) Workshop held in BSD, Tangerang, by the Ministry of Finance and development partner SKALA. The workshop highlighted successes in Kalimantan Utara and Aceh in implementing gender-responsive TKD and generated key recommendations to address challenges such as the lack of sex- and disability-disaggregated data, weak gender mainstreaming, and the need to integrate monitoring results into local development plans. With stronger cross-ministerial collaboration and SKALA's facilitation, the initiative aims to enhance inclusive fiscal governance on the path to Indonesia Emas 2045.
South Papua is laying a strong foundation for inclusive, evidence-based development through the expansion of the South Papua Indigenous Peoples Information System (SIRIOS). Supported by the SKALA program and aligned with the One Data Indonesia initiative, the province is scaling up grassroots data collection by training local trainers and verifiers to ensure accurate, by-name by-address data for Indigenous Papuan communities. With real-time integration across village to provincial levels, SIRIOS enables targeted planning and budgeting, particularly in remote areas like Kimaam Island. This initiative demonstrates South Papua’s commitment to data-driven governance and inclusive public service delivery.
Government of Gorontalo is advancing local data governance through the integration of sectoral and geospatial data as part of the national One Data Indonesia (SDI) initiative. Supported by SKALA, the government recently held a multi-agency workshop to build capacity among local agencies in managing sectoral statistics and spatial data. This effort, anchored by the new Governor’s Regulation No. 29/2025, aims to ensure data is accurate, interoperable, and aligned with national standards. By enhancing collaboration between agencies like BPS, BIG, and Diskominfotik, and launching initiatives such as the Gorontalo One Map Portal, the province is setting a strong foundation for evidence-based, area-focused planning and inclusive development.
The climate crisis is deepening inequalities in access to basic services, disproportionately affecting women, children, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous communities. In a recent SKALA Program knowledge-sharing session, experts emphasized that climate resilience must go hand-in-hand with inclusive service delivery. Integrating Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles into planning, budgeting, and policymaking is key to ensuring that no one is left behind. With frameworks like Indonesia’s National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change and the 2025–2045 Long-Term Development Plan, the country has a vital opportunity to build climate-resilient systems that are equitable, participatory, and responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable.
The SKALA Internship Program empowers Indonesia’s next generation of leaders by providing hands-on experience in inclusive development and governance. Now in its second year, this highly competitive program selects outstanding university students and recent graduates—like Dara Callista Amanda, a low-vision intern who worked with the North Kalimantan Government—to engage with real-world policymaking and civil society collaboration. With placements across Jakarta, Maluku, and Kalimantan, interns gain exposure to Australia–Indonesia partnerships, multidisciplinary development work, and the skills needed to shape inclusive public policy. Learn how SKALA is shaping a future-ready, inclusive talent pool for sustainable development.
The One Data Learning Forum held in Aceh from 11–14 June 2025 marked a significant step in Indonesia’s journey toward integrated, data-driven governance. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Home Affairs' Pusdatin and supported by the SKALA Program, the forum brought together representatives from Aceh, NTT, Gorontalo, and Maluku to share innovations and challenges in implementing the One Data Indonesia initiative. With strong alignment to national digital transformation goals, the event highlighted how provinces are using standardised, interoperable data to improve public service delivery, enhance policy targeting, and build collaborative networks for long-term impact.
Amid global economic uncertainty, Indonesia is accelerating fiscal reform through SPEKTRA—a national training initiative led by the Ministry of Finance’s DJPK and supported by the Australia–Indonesia SKALA Program. Held in June 2025, SPEKTRA equipped subnational officials from 27 regions with tools to align regional budgets with national fiscal strategies, such as the KEM–PPKF. As Indonesia prepares its 2026 local development plans, SPEKTRA strengthens the capacity of local governments to translate national priorities into responsive, community-driven budgets for more effective delivery of basic services and to support the Golden Indonesia Vision 2045.
