Women Human Rights Defenders (PPHAM) in Indonesia often experience threats and violence. Based on Komnas Perempuan’s annual records, in 2023 there were seven cases of violence against PPHAM that were reported directly.
The threats and violence are physical and digital. Usually when advocating cases related to the environment and land conflicts, they are threatened to stop their advocacy.
Due to these conditions, KEMITRAAN through the ELEVATE project (Enhancing the Leverage of WEHRDs in Sustaining the Environment seeks to strengthen protection for PPHAM. The way is by strengthening the protection mechanism from the state while initiating community-based protection. In this project, KEMITRAAN also supports PPHAM and civil society organizations in conducting advocacy that is gender sensitive and responsive to the environment.
In carrying out these efforts, KEMITRAAN held a capacity building for gender-sensitive environmental PPHAM protection and security mechanisms on January 30-31, 2024 at the Mercure BSD Hotel, South Tangerang, Banten. In the first session of the event, KEMITRAAN together with PPHAMs and civil society organizations discussed forms of attacks against human rights defenders. The session was led by a representative from Wahana Lingungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi).
Next, participants also shared their experiences on the threats of criminalization against them. The session was led by a representative of the Institute Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) who explained the laws that have been used to criminalize PPHAM. One of them is the Electronic Information and Transaction Law (ITE). Thus they are able to deal with the law when criminalized with the ITE Law.
Then speakers from the South East Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) also shared with participants about digital security threats and the latest developments after the passing of the revised ITE Law. Participants shared their experiences of digital attacks and the efforts that individuals and organizations have made to prevent and deal with these attacks.
Not only discussing physical protection, the event also discussed the mental health of PPHAM and administrators of civil society organizations who are active in fighting for human rights. The session was filled by a resource person from the Pulih Foundation. He emphasized the importance of mental health for human rights defenders. Because the advocacy process is often quite long and tiring, it can adversely affect the mental health of human rights defenders.
The event was closed with a discussion with the commissioners of Komnas HAM, Komnas Perempuan, and the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK). During the discussion, PPHAMs and civil society organizations submitted recommendations to revise existing regulations to create a holistic protection system for them.
