Program Vision 

An Indonesia where every citizen actively engages in those decision-making processes which contribute to conflict management and sustainable peace

Goal and Methodology

SERASI is a three-year conflict mitigation and peacebuilding program funded by the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Mission to the Republic of Indonesia.    The goal of SERASI is to support Indonesia’s continuing evolution into a peaceful, just, and democratic nation with respect for pluralism and protection of human rights for all citizens.  This goal will be achieved through the provision of grants, subcontracts, and technical assistance to organizations that demonstrate an indentified need and feasible means to manage conflict or build/sustain peace in their communities.

The program contributes to the peaceful resolution of communal and regional conflicts in crises-affected areas such as Aceh, Central Sulawesi, the Malukus, and Papua, while

developing more collaborative and transparent relationships among NGOs, academic institutions, the private sector, and the Government.  SERASI assists its partners in designing and implementing projects that address the causes and consequences of violent conflict through community-based and   community-driven activities focused on enhancing constructive dialogue among various stakeholder groups. SERASI operates under the recognition that every community within each of its target provinces (see geographic focus below) faces unique social, cultural, economic, and geographic conditions which have a tremendous bearing on how they respond to conflict.  However, in order to maintain a focus on the program’s goal, SERASI ensures that all of its interventions support at least one of the following five programmatic themes:

· Reinforcing Peacebuilding Process in Aceh (applicable only in Aceh Province)
· Increasing Indonesian Capacity to Manage Conflict
· Building Respect for Human Rights and Inter-Group Relations
· Increasing Gender Sensitivity and Integrating Marginalized Groups
· Developing a Democratic and Transparent Security Sector

Additionally, on the national level, SERASI is designed to support the development of laws on conflict management, provide training on conflict mapping to national government staff, and develop a crisis-rapid response capability that will stand ready to help USAID and its partners respond to natural or human-made crises throughout Indonesia. The program also seeks to develop public-private partnerships in all regions in an effort to source further funds and promote greater program sustainability. 

Geographic Focus
The five provinces supported by SERASI are Aceh, Central Sulawesi, Maluku, North Maluku and Papua.
Aceh
Given the current state of post-conflict development in Aceh, this province represents SERASI’s single greatest geographic commitment. In addition to implementing program activities in each of the four cross-cutting themes mentioned above, SERASI will support Aceh’s ongoing peace process through the provision of technical advisory services and support staff placed within key government agencies associated with the peace process in Aceh, particularly those working to advance the goals of the Helsinki MOU and the 2006 Law on Governing Aceh (LoGA), through addressing economic development and advocacy needs of conflict affected communities and finally highlighting the positive role of women in the peace process.   
Eastern Indonesia
The remaining four provinces, Central Sulawesi, Maluku, North Maluku and Papua, are the focus of SERASI’s remaining resources. Of these, SERASI anticipates the greatest programmatic emphasis will be on Central Sulawesi, particularly addressing the post-conflict issues in Poso, Tentena and Palu. SERASI’s program impact in Maluku, North Maluku, and Papua will have to be particularly strategic, seeking both to leverage other resources and to lay the foundation for future peace building.  Programs in Eastern Indonesia are implemented through SERASI’s Eastern Indonesia office (initially in Palu with a move to Makassar likely in late 2009). 

Program Partners
SERASI is actively working to indentify new prospective partners able to support the program’s goal throughout its target provinces and through national initiatives.   Further information about SERASI’s grant solicitation process can be found on the program’s website at: www.serasi-ird.org