Take Five: “If the community starts to make the right choices, it will empower them to take the right actions”
Date:
Avianto Amri, Chair of Indonesian Society for Disaster Management facilitated a workshop for the development of a national road map and subnational action plan to prevent gender-based violence in Palu, Indonesia on 17 February 2025. Photo: UN Women/Putra Djohan
How does climate change contribute to gender-based violence and social conflict in Indonesia?
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of hydro-meteorological disasters in Indonesia. Fifteen years ago, the country experienced around 1,000 disasters annually; today, that number exceeds 5,4001. These disasters, worsened by environmental degradation, disproportionately impact women and girls. Disasters bring income loss, food insecurity and limit access to health care and education, heightening the risk of gender-based violence. Scarce resources, land and water conflicts, and economic hardships caused by disasters can fuel social tensions, leading to extremism and radicalization.
The consultative workshops, both at the national and subnational levels, recognized that women are not a homogenous group. Some women have multiple layers of vulnerability and experience these crises differently, often facing heightened risks due to pre-existing discriminatory norms. Recognizing this intersection is crucial for developing gender-responsive climate policies that prevent GBV while strengthening women’s roles in resilience-building.
What are the key factors in ensuring an effective and inclusive road map?
Ownership among governmental and non-governmental actors is key. This road map is not just a document – it’s a long-term action plan and collaboration between ministries, NGOs and the private sector.
A participatory approach ensures success. We’ve engaged various actors at national and subnational levels, 80 per cent of which are non-governmental organizations, to create an actionable community-centred road map aligned with Indonesia’s development goals.
What are the key steps to increasing understanding?
Climate change is a complex topic, full of jargon. Translating it into easy information for diverse users, including women who have different needs and level of understanding, will be an important first step.
There are existing good practices and bad practices influenced by local culture, religion and traditions that often also influence society’s views on women and vulnerable groups. If the community starts to make the right choices, it will empower them to take the right actions.
What strategies can ensure women’s leadership in climate resilience?
Establishing the linkage between climate change and gender-based violence is crucial, yet it needs in-depth analysis due to the complexity of climate impacts and their slow onset. Women are already leading local climate adaptation efforts, but barriers like limited access to information and decision-making hinder them from being able to fully engage.
Key strategies include making climate information accessible and actionable, providing capacity-building opportunities and fostering platforms where women lead. Centering women in climate policies leads to more sustainable, effective solutions.
How can the Government improve its efficiency and impact?
Various government agencies, NGOs and private sector actors work on resilience and climate adaptation programmes, but without coordination. For example, Indonesia has multiple resilience-building initiatives – disaster-resilient villages, climate-adaptive programmes and social protection schemes – but they frequently operate in silos. This leads to inefficiencies, duplication of efforts and missed opportunities for impactful, holistic interventions.
Bridging these efforts is crucial to maximizing resources and ensuring that gender-responsive and socially inclusive approaches are embedded across all programmes. A coordinated approach allows for shared learning, streamlined funding and integrated policies that address both climate resilience and gender-based violence prevention. Through multi-stakeholder collaboration – where governmental agencies, civil society and the private sector work together – we can create more sustainable, impactful and cost-effective solutions that reach the most vulnerable communities.