East Java

• The Direct Cash Transfer-Village Fund (BLT-DD) program implemented by villages indicates the villages’ ability to manage social assistance programs transparently and accountably.
• The key is village deliberation meeting as the highest-ranked decision-making forum which is held openly and participatorily.
• BLT-DD facilitators’ presence at the meeting is needed to verify and monitor the democratic process.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused changes in multiple aspects of life. As a response to these changes, the vulnerable communities have been forced to set out their coping strategies. Looking at their livelihoods, the vulnerable communities working in the nonagricultural sector have experienced an income decline during the pandemic. In contrast, the vulnerable communities working in the agricultural sector, such as land-owning farmers and agricultural business owners, have been able to maintain their income level.

The Indonesian government issued various policies to keep the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic under control as cases fluctuated during the outbreak. However, the public communication strategies used by the government to handle the pandemic have not been effective, while effective communication is vital in fostering understanding and trust, as well as in maintaining people’s risk perception.

To reduce the prevalence of child labour in the agriculture sector, an intervention programme called Kemitraan Strategis untuk Menanggulangi Pekerja Anak di Pertanian di Indonesia (KESEMPATAN) has been initiated for five districts in East Java Province and West Nusa Tenggara Province. This baseline study provides information on the pre-intervention conditions in Probolinggo District and Lombok Tengah District. The collected data will be used to evaluate the programme’s effectiveness in the endline phase.

To achieve its goal of good governance and improved public services at the kabupaten/kota (district) and service delivery unit levels, Kinerja strengthens the supply and demand sides of service delivery. This includes efforts to improve citizen participation while developing the transparency, accountability, and responsiveness of local governments to their citizens.