Southern coastal festival 2026 highlights women’s leadership in peace and climate resilience in South Central Timor

Date:

English | Bahasa Indonesia

Joint Press Release

Logo of KOICA, Save the Children, CIS Timor, and UN Women
A woman and man cut a ceremonious ribbon
Ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by Emelia Julia Nomleni, Chair of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) of East Nusa Tenggara, together with Eduard Markus Lio, Regent of South Central Timor, to inaugurate Spaha Tourism Village and officially open the South Coast Festival on 27 March 2026 at Spaha Tourism Village, Kolbano Beach, South Central Timor Regency. Photo: UN Women/Juniken Imelda

 

South Central Timor Regency, 27 March 2026 — Representatives from government, civil society organizations, and local communities gathered at the South Coast Festival 2026, held at Kolbano Beach in South Central Timor, to promote women’s leadership in peacebuilding and disaster risk reduction. Under the theme “Empowered Women for Sustainable Peace”, the festival—organized by CIS Timor, Save the Children, and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) — took place from 27 to 29 March 2026. It provided a platform for women, youth, and the public to advocate for the importance of sustaining peace and social cohesion, while strengthening community resilience in the face of disasters and climate change.

Over the course of three days, civil society organizations, communities, and youth are engaged in discussions on the intersection of peacebuilding, disaster preparedness, and gender equality, as well as the critical role of women’s leadership and participation in strengthening the resilience of families and communities. Through a series of activities that combined dialogue platforms, cultural expression, and local economic empowerment, participants took part in a range of events, including multi-stakeholder talk shows, a Natoni performance led by women, coastal clean-up initiatives, tree planting in three villages, a communal Bonet dance, local food markets, and handicraft training sessions.

Two women and three men sit behind a desk during a talk show session
A talk show on lessons learned from the WE NEXUS programme, moderated by Haris Oematan, Director of CIS Timor Foundation (right), featuring speakers Orissa Sofyan, Programme Officer HDP Nexus, UN Women Indonesia; Emelia Julia Nomleni, Chair of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) of East Nusa Tenggara; Eduard Markus Lioe, Regent of South Central Timor; and Kain Maus, Expert Staff to the Regent of South Central Timor for Community Affairs and Human Resources. Photo: UN Women/Juniken Imelda

 

“Empowered women means that women have access, opportunities, and the capacity to actively participate in development. Sustainable peace refers to a state of peace that is not temporary, but continuously nurtured through equality and social solidarity,” said Eduard Markus Lioe, Regent of South Central Timor. “Through this theme, we aim to emphasize that women’s empowerment is not only a gender issue, but a development strategy that spans across all dimensions – social, economic, cultural, and environmental.”

The South Coast Festival, held for the first time, is part of the WE NEXUS Project. Building sustainable peace for women and girls in rural Indonesia by preventing conflict, mitigating climate risks, and strengthening community resilience is at the core of the WE NEXUS initiative led by UN Women, with support from KOICA. In East Nusa Tenggara, UN Women collaborates with CIS Timor and Save the Children to implement the programme across seven villages.

The WE NEXUS Project has contributed to policy change and institutional strengthening at the local level. Cross-sector collaboration has supported the issuance of East Nusa Tenggara Governor Regulation Number 9 of 2025 on Social Conflict Prevention, as well as the establishment of seven village-level task forces that play a role in strengthening social cohesion, disaster preparedness, community dialogue, and the prevention of violence against women and children. In South Central Timor Regency, the project has supported women and youth from Spaha, Oetuke, and Tuapakas villages to actively participate in village development planning.

At this event, lessons learned from the WE NEXUS Project in engaging and empowering women and youth for peacebuilding, disaster risk reduction, and climate action were shared through a talk show featuring representatives from the villages of Spaha, Tuapakas, Oetuke, Raknamo, Manusak, Tonaku, and Camplong. The talk show provided a platform for learning, exchanging experiences, good practices, and collectively fostering an enabling ecosystem that supports the leadership of women and youth.

“Women play a vital role in sustaining peace, strengthening communities, and helping societies remain resilient in the face of disasters and climate change. This festival serves as a call to action for all of us—to elevate and support those who are already taking action, innovating, and leading change within their communities. Together, we can build a more just and peaceful future for all,” stressed through an opening remark from Ulziisuren Jamsran, Representative UN Women Indonesia, delivered by Orissa Sofyan, Programme Officer HDP (Humanitarian-Development-Peace) Nexus.

“CIS Timor believes that change can start anywhere and be driven by anyone, including women. When it comes to women in rural communities, they need to be equipped with capacity, opportunities, and spaces for participation to grow. Families, organizations, communities, and the world will be better, more peaceful, and more resilient when empowered women are involved in management and decision-making,” said Buce E. Y. Ga, Programme Manager WE NEXUS, CIS Timor.

“The active involvement of women and youth in peace initiatives and the strengthening of social cohesion is a key factor in building community preparedness in facing disasters and the impacts of climate change. Through this festival, it is hoped that lessons learned from the implementation of the WE NEXUS Project in the southern coastal areas can be widely shared and generate sustainable impact for communities in South Central Timor and beyond,” said Bram Marantika, Mental Health Psycho Social Support and Peacebuilding Manager, Save the Children Indonesia.

The South Coastal Festival 2026 not only serves as a platform for social advocacy but also strengthens collaboration among communities, government, cultural groups, and the tourism sector in building a more resilient, peaceful, and sustainable future for coastal areas.

Media Contact:

CIS Timor: Alfes S. Lopo | MEAL & Comms Officer
lopoalfes@gmail.com | 0812 4679 3129

Save the Children: Dewi Sri Sumanah | Brand & Communication Manager
dewi.sumanah@savethechildren.org |  08118201446

UN Women: Bintang Aulia | Communications Associate
bintang.aulia@unwomen.org |  0856-9113-1867

 

English | Bahasa Indonesia

Siaran Pers Bersama

Logo of KOICA, Save the Children, CIS Timor, and UN Women

Festival Pesisir Selatan 2026 Tegaskan Kepemimpinan Perempuan dalam Perdamaian dan Ketangguhan Iklim di Timor Tengah Selatan

A woman and man cut a ceremonious ribbon
Seremoni pemotongan pita oleh Emelia Julia Nomleni, Ketua DPRD Nusa Tenggara Timur bersama Eduard Markus Lioe, SIP, S.H., M.H., Bupati Timor Tengah Selatan, untuk meresmikan Desa Wisata Spaha sekaligus membuka Festival Pesisir Selatan, 27 Maret 2026 di Desa Wisata Spaha, Pantai Kolbano, Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan. Photo: UN Women/Juniken Imelda
 

Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan, 27 Maret 2026 - Perwakilan pemerintah, organisasi masyarakat sipil dan komunitas  berkumpul di Festival Pesisir Selatan 2026 yang diselenggarakan di Pantai Kolbano, Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan (TTS) untuk mempromosikan kepemimpinan perempuan dalam perdamaian dan penanggulangan bencana. Mengusung tema “Perempuan Berdaya Untuk Perdamaian Berkelanjutan”, festival yang diselenggarakan oleh CIS Timor, Save the Children, dan Badan Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa untuk Kesetaraan Gender dan Pemberdayaan Perempuan (UN Women) dan dilaksanakan pada 27 hingga 29 Maret 2026, memberikan wadah bagi perempuan, orang muda, dan masyarakat untuk mengkampanyekan pentingnya memelihara perdamaian dan kohesi sosial, serta memperkuat resiliensi komunitas dalam menghadapi bencana dan perubahan iklim.

Selama tiga hari, organisasi masyarakat sipil, komunitas, dan orang muda diajak berdiskusi tentang hubungan antara perdamaian, kesiapsiagaan bencana dan kesetaraan gender, serta bagaimana kepemimpinan dan partisipasi perempuan sangat penting untuk membangun ketahanan keluarga dan masyarakat. Melalui acara yang memadukan ruang dialog, aksi budaya dan penguatan ekonomi lokal, peserta turut mengikuti berbagai rangkaian kegiatan, seperti talkshow lintas pemangku kepentingan, penampilan Natoni oleh perempuan, pembersihan pesisir pantai, penanaman pohon di tiga desa, tarian Bonet bersama, pasar pangan lokal, serta pelatihan kerajinan tangan.

Two women and three men sit behind a desk during a talk show session
Seremoni pemotongan pita oleh Emelia Julia Nomleni, Ketua DPRD Nusa Tenggara Timur bersama Eduard Markus Lioe, SIP, S.H., M.H., Bupati Timor Tengah Selatan, untuk meresmikan Desa Wisata Spaha sekaligus membuka Festival Pesisir Selatan, 27 Maret 2026 di Desa Wisata Spaha, Pantai Kolbano, Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan. Photo: UN Women/Juniken Imelda
 

"Perempuan berdaya berarti perempuan memiliki akses, kesempatan dan kemampuan untuk berpartisipasi aktif dalam pembangunan. Perdamaian berkelanjutan berarti kondisi damai yang tidak hanya sesaat, tetapi terus dipelihara melalui kesetaraan dan solidaritas sosial," ungkap Eduard Markus Lioe, SIP, S.H., M.H., Bupati Timor Tengah Selatan, "Dengan tema ini, kita ingin menegaskan bahwa pemberdayaan perempuan bukan hanya isu gender, tetapi strategi pembangunan yang menyentuh semua aspek, yakni sosial, ekonomi, budaya hingga lingkungan."

Festival Pesisir Selatan yang untuk pertama kalinya dilaksanakan ini, merupakan bagian dari Program WE NEXUS. Membangun perdamaian berkelanjutan bagi perempuan dan anak perempuan di desa di Indonesia dengan mencegah konflik dan mitigasi risiko iklim, serta mendorong resiliensi komunitas adalah tujuan dari WE NEXUS dari UN Women yang didukung oleh KOICA. Di Nusa Tenggara Timur, UN Women bekerja sama dengan CIS Timor dan Save the Children dalam melaksanakan program di tujuh desa.

Program WE NEXUS ikut berkontribusi pada perubahan kebijakan dan penguatan kelembagaan di tingkat lokal. Kolaborasi lintas pihak mendorong lahirnya Peraturan Gubernur Nusa Tenggara Timur Nomor 9 Tahun 2025 tentang Pencegahan Konflik Sosial, serta pembentukan tujuh satuan tugas desa yang berperan dalam memperkuat kohesi sosial, kesiapsiagaan bencana, dialog antar warga, serta pencegahan kekerasan terhadap perempuan dan anak. Di Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan, program ini telah mendukung perempuan dan anak muda dari Desa Spaha, Oetuke, dan Tuapakas untuk berpartisipasi aktif dalam perencanaan pembangunan desa.

Di acara ini, pembelajaran dari program WE NEXUS dalam melibatkan dan memberdayakan perempuan dan orang muda untuk pembangunan perdamaian, penanggulangan bencana, dan perubahan iklim  disampaikan melalui talkshow oleh perwakilan desa Spaha, Tuapakas, Oetuke, Raknamo, Manusak, Tonaku, dan Camplong. Talkshow ini memberikan kesempatan untuk belajar, bertukar pengalaman dan praktik baik, serta bersama membangun ekosistem yang mendukung kepemimpinan perempuan dan orang muda.

Ulziisuren Jamsran, UN Women Indonesia Representative and Liaison to ASEAN menyampaikan sambutan yang dibacakan oleh Orissa Sofyan, Programme Officer HDP Nexus, “Perempuan berperan besar dalam menjaga perdamaian, memperkuat komunitas, dan membantu masyarakat tetap tangguh menghadapi bencana dan perubahan iklim. Festival ini menjadi ajakan bagi kita semua—untuk mengangkat dan mendukung mereka yang sudah beraksi, berinovasi, dan memimpin perubahan di komunitasnya. Bersama-sama, kita bisa membangun masa depan yang lebih adil dan damai untuk semua.”

“CIS Timor percaya perubahan bisa dimulai dari mana saja dan oleh siapa saja, termasuk perempuan. Berbicara tentang perempuan di desa, mereka perlu dikapasitasi dan diberi kesempatan serta ruang partisipasi untuk berkembang. Keluarga, organisasi, kampung, dan dunia akan lebih baik, lebih damai, dan lebih tangguh jika perempuan berdaya ikut mengelola dan membuat keputusan,” ungkap Buce E. Y. Ga, Program Manager WE NEXUS, CIS Timor.

“Keterlibatan aktif perempuan dan anak muda dalam inisiatif perdamaian dan penguatan kohesi sosial adalah kunci utama dalam membangun kesiapsiagaan masyarakat terhadap bencana dan dampak perubahan iklim. Melalui festival ini, diharapkan pembelajaran mengenai implementasi Program We Nexus di pesisir selatan dapat tersebar luas dan memberikan dampak berkelanjutan bagi masyarakat di Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan maupun wilayah lainnya,” ungkap Bram Marantika, MHPSS and Peacebuilding Manager, Save the Children Indonesia.

Festival Pesisir Selatan 2026 tidak hanya menjadi ruang kampanye sosial, tetapi juga memperkuat kolaborasi antara masyarakat, pemerintah, komunitas budaya, dan sektor pariwisata dalam membangun masa depan kawasan pesisir yang lebih tangguh, damai, dan berkelanjutan.

Kontak Media
CIS Timor: Alfes S. Lopo | MEAL & Comms Officer
lopoalfes@gmail.com | 0812 4679 3129

Save the Children: Dewi Sri Sumanah | Brand & Communication Manager
dewi.sumanah@savethechildren.org |  0811 8201 446

UN Women: Bintang Aulia | Communications Associate
bintang.aulia@unwomen.org |  0856-9113-1867