Civil society groups from across Indonesia discuss how to bolster women and peace efforts
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Author: Yoomi Jun
Jakarta and Bali, Indonesia — Nearly 100 civil society organizations (CSOs) from across Indonesia representing women and vulnerable groups have gathered to strengthen women’s voices and their critical roles in a national peacebuilding plan.
CSOs from western Indonesia met in Jakarta on 28-29 April and CSOs from central and eastern Indonesia met in Bali on 2–3 May for the workshops organized by UN Women and The Asian Muslim Action Network Indonesia.
In 2014 Indonesia became one of the first countries in South-East Asia to launch a national action plan on women, peace and security (WPS). It is now developing its third plan.
“I hope that the advocacy framework and commitment for WPS in Indonesia developed through the work of CSOs can inform the Government. … It will further support our shared goal to achieve peace and security at the national and international level,” said Dian Ekawati, Assistant Deputy for the Protection of Women's Rights in Households, Special Conditions, and Emergency Situations, Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection.
Long before the phrase “Women, Peace and Security agenda” was formally recognized through United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, women in Indonesia have been at the forefront of resilience and recovery from crises. From peacebuilding in Aceh province to rebuilding after natural disasters in Central Sulawesi province, women leaders have helped heal communities hit by social conflicts, violent extremism, terrorism, earthquakes and tsunamis.
During the two workshops, participants discussed complex challenges such as human trafficking, freedom of religion and belief, violent extremism, cybersecurity, climate change, and conflicts over natural resources. Proactive and preventive approaches are needed because these issues, if neglected, could easily ignite larger conflicts.
The participants indulged in discussions to identify ways for the WPS CSO Network to advance WPS agenda in Indonesia. UN Women is working to strengthen the network and help the CSOs to influence policies.
The Governments of Canada, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Korea funded the workshops under UN Women’s project, Empowering Women for Sustainable Peace: Preventing Violence and Promoting Social Cohesion in ASEAN. The workshops are part of a broader advocacy to amplify civil society's role in country-level implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security. ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Indonesia is a member.
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