THE URGENCY OF SOCIAL RESOURCE EMPOWERMENT POLICIES TO REDUCE POVERTY INEQUALITY: THE INDONESIA-TIMOR LESTE BORDER INVESTIGATIONS

Reducing the poverty gap in border regions is proven to bring structural and cultural obstacles. The poverty problem permeates social life in the two border regions between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. It is essential to conduct a research on Indonesian and Timor Leste governments' policies in solving poverty problem in the border regions and the policies' influence on enhancing the social welfare of the community. The current study evaluates poverty reduction initiatives in the border region between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. The research employs qualitative methods to collect data, including observation, interviews, recording, and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) procedures. Observations are used to collect data on border region residents' behaviors. Several informants were interviewed after being picked by snowball sampling. Information on poverty rates and per capita income is obtained using documentation techniques, while FGD method was used to collect extensive data on the implementation of poverty reduction strategies and their effect on the community. The findings suggest that neither centralized nor decentralized poverty reduction strategies will be successful until the community is involved and the surrounding culture is altered. Incorporating cultural and local knowledge into poverty reduction initiatives is the best way to alter the social structure. Thus, this study should be used as a basis of poverty reduction policymaking.