Project description

Title: Good Governance in Civil Registration and Administration
Commissioned by: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)
Country: Indonesia
Lead executing agency: Departement Dalam Negeri (Ministry of Home Affairs)
Overall term: January 2003 to July 2009 (proposed term)

Context

Legal regulations and opaque administrative procedures in Indonesia result in unequal treatment of different population groups and place the economically weak at a disadvantage. A high percentage of the population faces difficulties in obtaining identity cards and other personal documents due to lengthy and costly application procedures. Indonesian citizens with certain religious affiliations or ethnic identities are even barred by law from making use of such public services. This in turn prevents them from using other public services and restricts them in exerting their civil rights.

Objective

The Indonesian civil registration system offers improved services to citizens.

Approach

In consultation with civil society organisations and the relevant authorities, the project is working towards legal reform of the civil registration system. This includes legal regulations on data protection and implementation guidelines for administrative procedures.

The project supports the development of models to improve public services in civic administration and works on establishing the preconditions for their use throughout Indonesia. A strategy for training staff in civil registration and administration is also being developed for pilot implementation at a training academy. Information campaigns inform the citizens about their rights with regard to civic administration and the importance and benefits of having identity cards and personal documents.

Results achieved so far

In cooperation with a consortium consisting of government institutions and civil society actors, a draft law on civil registration and administration was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The project contributed in an advisory capacity to the reform of the conceptual basis of the civil registration system and a data protection law. Implementation guidelines for the administrative system for registering citizens’ civil status were also developed.

In cooperation with the University of Indonesia and Islamic scholars, the project formulated a commentary on the current status of Indonesian family law in the context of civil, Islamic and traditional law (adat) interpretations.
With GTZ support, the Indonesian partner ministry developed the foundations for a modern public services system, establishing a framework for transparent procedures free of illegal payments. Public service typologies were defined, permitting sustainable service delivery and reflecting regional variations.

As part of the public information campaign, the project produced and distributed information material to the authorities and citizens illustrating their rights to utilise public services and the benefits in civil and human rights terms. A nationwide television campaign was also developed, produced and broadcast. Cases of discrimination against citizens based on their religious affiliation, ethnic identity or socioeconomic background were systematically documented and published.

Together with the NGOs participating in the consortium, selected civil society representatives underwent training to improve their management and technical capacities.