The phenomenon of urban poverties has long been an issue of serious concern due, especially, to the socio-economic, political, and environmental implications they generate. In Indonesia, urban poverties are best illustrated by the marginal groups living in slum areas in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia.
Such groups suffer from poverties, not poverty: poverty of subsistence due to insufficient in-come, food, shelter, and other basic needs; of protection due to violence and inadequate health systems; of affection due to oppression, exploitative relations with the natural environ-ment; of understanding due to poor quality of education; of participation due to marginalisa-tion and discrimination; of identity due to the imposition of alien values upon local and regional cultures, and forced migration.
The complexity of urban poverty compels a group of concerned, like-minded organisations and individuals to found a forum called The Urban Poor Consortium (UPC). The Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) is a non-governmental organisation that works together with the urban marginal groups in a holistic and participatory approach where the interests of the people are given the utmost importance. The people are thus the key stake-holders and subjects who have access and control over activities undertaken.
Goal: The UPC works with the urban marginal groups to develop strong peoples organisation capable of fighting for their rights to live a dignified and humane life in the city, to secure land entitlement, and to have a healthy home and environment, and to shape the future of their communities.
Strategy and Programme: The UPC grounds it works on the development of critical awareness of the people through dissemination of information. We believe that accurate and relevant information will generate individual or collective action to change the unjust and oppressive reality. Collective action, in this regard, opens up political consciousness and drive to participate in public decision making. Such actions, in the process, will result in well-organised and effective activities that unify the creative energy and strengthen the social cohesion of the groups in the struggle for a just and democratic society.
The UPC implements the strategy through information dissemination and the development of peoples media of expression using multimedia; advocacy; the development of grassroots organisations; the promotion of inter-community and inter-urban poor groups; and activities to address the practical needs of the urban poor such as improvement of economic, education, health, and settlement conditions.
Organisational Structure: The UPC is a network with an open and flexible structure. Forum of the Members is the highest decision-making body in the organisation. The program activities are implemented by competent members and volunteers with the coordination of the Secretariat.
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Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) berdiri pada September 1997.UPC adalah organisasi non-pemerintah yang bekerja bersama komunitas marjinal perkotaan dengan pendekatan holistik dan partisipatoris dan menempatkan kepentingan rakyat sebagai prioritas utama. Karenanya, masyarakat marjinal perkotaan adalah subyek dan stakeholder utama yang memiliki akses dan kontrol atas semua kegiatan yang dilaksanakan.
Visi: Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) mencitakan rakyat yang berdaulat, mandiri, arif dan kreatif, mampu memecahkan masalah kemiskinan majemuknya, memenuhi kebutuhan praktis dan strategisnya dan menentukan nasib serta masa depan diri dan komunitasnya.
Strategi dan Program: UPC menumpukan geraknya pada penumbuhan kesadaran kritis rakyat melalui penyebar luasan informasi. UPC percaya bahwa informasi yang akurat dan relevan mampu mendorong orang untuk bertindak sendiri atau secara kolektif untuk mengubah realitas yang tidak adil dan menindas. Tindakan kolektif, khususnya, membuka ruang kesadaran politis dan kehendak untuk berpartisipasi dalam pengambilan keputusan publik. Gerak semacam ini pada prosesnya akan menumbuhkan kegiatan-kegiatan rakyat yang terorganisasi baik dan kuat, yang berfungsi menghimpun energi kreatif dan mengukuhkan ikatan sosial kelompok untuk mewujudkan kehidupan sosial yang adil dan demokratis.
UPC mewujudkan strategi di atas melalui kegiatan penyebarluasan informasi dan penumbuhan media ekspresi rakyat dengan sarana multimedia; advokasi; penumbuhan organisasi tingkat basis; pengembangan jaringan kerja antar kampung miskin dan kelompok-kelompok rakyat miskin kota; dan pemenuhan kebutuhan praktis komunitas seperti kegiatan ekonomi, kesehatan, pendidikan dan perbaikan permukiman
Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) upc@urbanpoor.or.idAlamat Sekretariat:
Billy Moon Blok H I/7 Jakarta 13450, Indonesia
Telpon: 62.21.8642915; 62.21.869002408;
Fax: 62.21.86902407.