Women face a double burden as a result of climate change. In addition to physical impacts like natural disasters and food insecurity, their situation is further worsened by social inequality. Connect! #4, an event held by KONEKSI and The Conversation Indonesia, highlighted this crucial issue. Experts and activists joined together to call for gender-responsive policies to achieve sustainability and justice in the face of the climate crisis. 

Held as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, Connect #4 drew attention to the increasingly apparent and gendered impacts of climate change.  In relation to the double burden caused by climate change, Dr. Amy Young, a researcher from Griffith University, presented her research findings from Java. 

“Because of the climate crisis, women and children are experiencing impacts on their livelihoods. Rising sea levels are forcing women to shift from fishing to home-based industries. While home-based industries offer flexibility, the lack of regulation means they are working in unsafe conditions,” she explained. 

Amidst these challenges, women play a vital role as frontrunners in addressing climate change. Active participation, adequate access, and control over resources are crucial to ensuring the success of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. 

Dr. Zulfa Sakhiyya from Semarang State University demonstrated that women have great potential to increase resilience in the face of climate change. Her study mapped women’s advocacy networks and the various innovations they are undertaking in different regions. 

One inspiring example comes from Rina Maulina Mawardi from the UMKM Kebaya (Happy and Productive Group), a women’s UMKM group from Muara Gembong, Bekasi. In her area, mothers who depend on their husbands who work as fishermen are now using mangroves to make syrup. 

“Initially it was for personal consumption, but now it can be sold. We have successfully turned mangrove plants into various economic products, increasing independence, and strengthening family economic resilience,” Rina said. 

These women are not alone in their struggle; they also have the support of the Indonesian government, which has shown its commitment to addressing this issue. The issue of women and children has become a major focus in the national long-term development plan. Ratna Susianawati, Deputy for the Protection of Women’s Rights at the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, stated, “The National Action Plan for Gender and Climate involves all parties, from the government, universities, communities, businesses, the media, to civil society.”    

Cross-sectoral collaboration is essential to ensure women’s accessibility, participation, and control in climate-related decision-making. Ajeng Arum Sari, Director of Research and Innovation Funding at BRIN, highlighted the importance of innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration to create inclusive and sustainable policies. 

Despite the progress made, challenges in empowering women in the face of climate change remain. Limited access to resources and information, lack of participation in decision-making, stigma and gender discrimination, as well as the disproportionate negative impacts of climate change on women, are some of the issues that need serious attention. 

Khalisah Khalid, Public Engagement and Actions Manager at Greenpeace Indonesia, shared inspiring stories about women in affected communities. “Environmental and economic policies are interconnected; economic policies must be aligned with environmental conservation. Indigenous women who are fighting to protect their land and forests from ongoing deforestation are saving lives, because those forests and lands are our last bastion against the threat of the climate crisis.” 

The event opened with remarks from Ria Arief, Head of the Knowledge to Policy Unit at DFAT, who highlighted Australia’s concrete steps in addressing the issue of gender inequality. “Domestically, we have embarked on a ten-year strategy through the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032. This includes prevention, early intervention, and recovery,” she explained. She also emphasised the importance of global cooperation to ensure that a gender perspective is at the forefront of climate policy. 

Ria Arief’s remarks reaffirmed the urgency of the theme raised in Connect #4, which is to encourage inclusive and sustainable policies that take into account the needs of women in the face of climate change.