In 2024, Kompas.id reported that Indonesia’s coastal areas face the threat of ecosystem damage, one of which is the destruction of mangrove ecosystems. The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) of the Republic of Indonesia in 2021 stated that without adaptation and mitigation efforts, it could result in economic losses in the marine and coastal sectors amounting to up to IDR 81 billion. As a result, the empowerment of women’s groups and coastal communities has become a main focus of the CARE Peduli Foundation (YCP). YCP’s programs have been recognized and align with the Indonesian Government’s initiatives, as reflected in the cooperation agreement signed between YCP and the Directorate General of Marine and Spatial Management (Ditjen PKRL), Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia (KKP RI).
Dr. Abdul Wahib Sitomorang, CEO of the CARE Peduli Foundation, stated that YCP’s collaboration is an effort to support government programs aimed at strengthening and empowering women and coastal communities in marine and coastal resources. “This is evidence that what we are doing aligns with the programs and priorities of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, particularly in marine spatial management, water conservation, and blue economy,” he said on Friday, January 31.
Abdul explained that the cooperation agreement covers the scope of the agreed-upon programs, the expected outcomes, and the anticipated impacts. “We are very confident that this collaboration will serve as a kind of ‘vitamin’ for us, strengthening and expanding our reach, so that in the future, women’s leadership will be stronger and more resilient,” Abdul added.
He also mentioned that YCP is currently implementing a women’s empowerment program in Bintan Regency, Riau Islands Province, and plans to launch a similar program in Likupang, North Minahasa Regency. “We want the women’s groups in these two locations to be able to protect the mangrove ecosystems in their local environments. At the same time, they will also be facilitated to obtain economic benefits from the coastal resources they have. This is what we call a nexus approach, between climate change, women’s empowerment, and economic justice, to achieve several goals in one activity,” he concluded.
