Jakarta, PWYP Indonesia – Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia, together with the PWYP Global Secretariat, held a workshop themed “Understanding the Global Vision of PWYP 2025: Strategies and Indicators of Achievement” through online media Zoom on Thursday (12/11/20). Present as speakers, Chadwick Llanos (PWYP Global Council) and Stephanie Rochford (PWYP International Secretariat). PWYP Indonesia’s National Coordinator and moderator at this workshop, Aryanto Nugroho, said that this discussion was the right momentum for PWYP Indonesia to formulate a strategic plan following the PWYP Global Vision 2025.

Stephanie Rochford (PWYP International Secretariat) opened her presentation by conveying the vision of PWYP Global 2020-2025. “As the PWYP Vision, namely a world where all people benefit from their natural resources today, and tomorrow. As well as the current mission of how to build a global civil society movement that encourages oil, gas and mineral governance to be open, accountable, sustainable, equitable and responsive to all people, “said Stephanie.

In Stephanie’s presentation, PWYP Global has four strategies to achieve the 2020-2025 Vision. These strategies include Informed, Influential, Heard, and Connected. Informed means maintaining and consolidating disclosure of payment information between extractive companies and the government, including encouraging the government to provide information to the public about the social, environmental, and fiscal impacts of each extractive project. Influential means are working together on international advocacy to drive change in natural resource governance by strengthening PWYP coalition members’ capacity to use and gather information. Heard means supporting, promoting, and defending the most marginalized citizens’ rights in making decisions that impact their communities. PWYP as a representative of civil society, is a strong voice in the EITI and OGP initiatives. The final strategy is Connected, strengthening the PWYP coalition network, strengthening PWYP’s capacity to carry out evidence-based advocacy, and engaging in collective leadership. PWYP always strives to involve marginalized communities and ensure gender equality in the work of the organization.

Stephanie conveyed five PWYP Global outcomes that will be achieved. The outcomes include; First, governments and extractive companies disclose information that is more comprehensive, timely, measurable, easily accessible, and presents data on demand. Second, PWYP can use available information to build a strong evidence base for better governance. Third, PWYP coordinates more transnational advocacy efforts to promote policy change and normative behavior for greater accountability from government and extractive companies to citizens. Fourth, PWYP involves the more active participation of communities, women, and youth in relevant extractive governance initiatives. Lastly, PWYP is becoming a more inclusive and diverse movement, an organization that can demonstrate influence and learns from collective experiences. “So, the strategy that we will implement in the next five years so that we can observe the changes in 2025,” concluded Stephanie.

Chadwick Llanos (PWYP Global Council) continued the discussion with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Chadwick highlighted several key issues that need to be paid more attention to the PWYP coalition in the Asia-Pacific region. Especially in the Philippines, narrowing democratic space is seen as a “steep road” for PWYP Philippines (Bantay Kita) in upholding transparency, especially in the extractive industry sector. Chadwick explained that there are at least six challenges faced by PWYP Asia-Pacific throughout 2019. Challenges in this regional context include expanding the involvement of civil society in the decision-making process; increasing cross-border issues in the extractive industry sector; changing leadership in the regions that affect support fluctuation towards EITI; seeking to translate data into relevant language at the local level; corruption cases and the slow rate of data being published in country reports; as well as vulnerability to climate change and the marginalization of indigenous peoples. “The challenges at the regional level are still valid. It is our duty, the coalition in the Asia-Pacific region, to work hand in hand to resolve these obstacles,” said Chadwick.

Natalia Soebagjo (Head of the PWYP Indonesia Advisory Board) expressed her appreciation and justification for Stephanie and Chadwick’s explanation. Natalie emphasized that the PWYP strategy’s success lies in collective work and the execution of a well-planned plan. “I hope these strategies can be our collective strength to face challenges in improving transparency and accountability in the extractive industry sector,” said Natalie.

Similar appreciation was conveyed by the Program Director of PWYP Indonesia, Maryati Abdullah. “I believe we can all go through this during a pandemic. Of course, the transformation of natural resource management, civil society participation in natural resource management is a priority issue in Indonesia and the region. We can strive together to build a strong coalition and build trust with stakeholders, “Maryati concluded. (cra)