The Mitigation of Transient Poverty: Agenda-Setting Discourse in the Formulation Process of the Policy of Poverty Alleviation in Indonesia

Abstract

As a population group with income and/or expenditure that is alarmingly close to the poverty line, the position of transient poor can be very unstable. They are in a constant vulnerability of falling under the poverty line with every critical situation that arises, which are affected by disasters, social conflicts, termination of employment, and/or changes in public policy especially in the economic sector. Up to 2015, poverty alleviation programs in Indonesia is divided into four clusters: social protection, community empowerment, small scale credit, and pro-poor supported program. Strangely, there is not a single clause in any of the four clusters that elaborates the policy schemes that addressed to the transient poor. The research is aimed to triangulate the position of transient poor groups in the poverty alleviation policy framework. Additionally, this research is also aimed to clarify the agenda-setting process in the formulation of poverty alleviation policy that neglects the transient poverty issues mitigation. The methodology used in this research is descriptive qualitative. Two major findings can be derived as the conclusions from the research. Firstly, the position of transient poor population is not included in the poverty alleviation policy scheme. The existing policy alleviation scheme does not accommodate the needs and tailored approach to cater to transient poor population. Secondly, the oversight to catering to transient poor population starts even from the agenda-setting in policy formulation processes. This is seen from the fact that transient poverty issues are not exposed to the problem stream, policy stream, and political stream that utilizes policy window to discuss transient poor issues throughout the agenda-setting.