Water and Sanitation Program in Decentralised Eastern Indonesia: The Roles of Community and Social Dynamic

The recent decentralisation in Indonesia was expected to play a significant role in the development program aimed at addressing local issues, including water and sanitation. However, the lack of capacity of local governments could be a barrier to deliver adequate services. This study looks at policy implementation and how the community in the poorer regions of Eastern Indonesia are attempting to address water and sanitation issues. Specifically, this study aims to assess the implementation of Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) type programs. Based on surveys, in-depth interviews and using qualitative methods this study identifies the main actors and their contribution in the programs. The result shows that despite the required active involvement of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and the local community, local governments still hold a very important role in service delivery, especially their frontline staff, who provide routine communication with the community. The active involvement of many stakeholders also requires that local government continuously enhance its coordination efforts. The discussion provides an example of one local government that has provided a good coordination platform. Additionally, the findings suggest that financial assistance is still needed by poorer communities in implementing the program.