To support more inclusive development planning, the Australia–Indonesia Partnership Towards an Inclusive Society (INKLUSI), in collaboration with the Australian Partnership Program – Synergies and Collaboration for Basic Service Delivery Acceleration (SKALA), supported the implementation of a Thematic Musyawarah Perencanaan Pembangunan (Musrenbang) on Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) on 21–22 May 2025.
This Thematic Musrenbang aimed to ensure that GEDSI issues are meaningfully reflected in regional development plans, while also enabling broader participation from marginalised groups, including women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons, and other vulnerable communities. By placing inclusion at the centre of the planning process, this initiative marked a concrete step towards realising inclusive and equitable development.
In her opening remarks, the Vice Governor of NTB, Indah Dhamayanti Putri, emphasised that the Thematic Musrenbang was a tangible effort to ensure that no one is left behind in the development process.
INKLUSI Partners working in NTB, namely Yayasan BaKTI, KAPAL Perempuan, Lakpesdam PBNU, PEKKA, PR YAKKUM, and Migrant CARE, along with their local partners, including Lombok Research Center (LRC), Lembaga Pembangunan Sumber Daya Mitra (LPSDM), Lakpesdam PCNU Lombok Utara, Serikat PEKKA, Migrant CARE NTB, and the LIDI Foundation, have played key roles in advancing the Thematic Musrenbang.
Since March 2025, this collaboration has supported a range of critical activities, including the development of guidelines for inclusive thematic Musrenbang, capacity building for facilitators, and the implementation of the NTB Provincial Inclusive Musrenbang. These partners were instrumental in shaping inclusive narratives, facilitating participatory dialogues, and reviewing key development planning documents. The participation of vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, was also effectively supported, enabling them to voice their aspirations directly and meaningfully.
As part of the continued commitment, INKLUSI Partners in NTB also participated in the Provincial Regular Musrenbang held on 2–4 June 2025. Through this forum, INKLUSI Partners successfully advocated for the integration of GEDSI-related priorities into the 2026 Rencana Pembangunan Jangka Menengah Daerah (RPJMD) and Rencana Kerja Pemerintah Daerah (RKPD).
To reinforce this collaborative effort, representatives from INKLUSI Partners in NTB, SKALA, the NTB Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda NTB), and Bappeda Sumba Barat signed a joint agreement. The agreement aims to ensure the integration of Thematic Musrenbang outcomes into regional policy, marking a significant collaboration between civil society and government institutions to ensure the rights and needs of marginalised groups are recognised and addressed in development planning processes.
The INKLUSI–SKALA collaboration in NTB will continue through to September 2025, with a strong focus on monitoring progress, advocating for inclusive policy change, and institutionalising GEDSI approaches across all levels of development planning. This sustained partnership aims to foster a planning process that is more open, responsive, and inclusive—ensuring that no one is left behind.
