Program Snapshots

Women and Youths are Key Figures in Forest Conservation

Program Year: 2023

Forest degradation presents a significant risk to food security, communities’ livelihood in rural areas, and climate change. In many world regions, women are not given equal access to forest resources and are seen as irrelevant to formal forest management and decision-making. By engaging civil society, the youth, and women can play a vital role as agents of forest preservation in their local communities.  

The Asia Foundation’s Environmental Governance program, with the support of Google.org, held a series of PSPGM (Social Forestry for Women and Young Generation) regional meetings in several cities; Bengkulu, Samarinda, Sintang, and Poso. The meetings’ primary purpose was to develop networking among women groups and the government and private sectors for women to engage and share best practices in managing social forestry-based products and strengthening the market. PSPGM conveyed the importance of women and youth involvement in Indonesia’s social forestry initiatives.  

PSPGM is part of The Asia Foundation’s Environmental Governance program and has successfully influenced the release of new social forestry permits for over 5,000 hectares of forest by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. From these forestry permits, 34 Women Forest Enterprises (KUPS) have been formed to increase 30% of family income by opening the domestic market and functioning as a form of self-expression for women’s groups, including eco-tourism in Rano-Donggala. Additionally, 650 women are involved in social forestry business enterprises (KUPS), and 300 women are involved as policymakers in community forest management and KUPS.  

Through the Social Forestry for Women and Young Generation (PSPGM), the Foundation’s Environmental Governance program empowers local communities to play a greater role in forest and land-use decision-making, promote forest-friendly policy, and benefit from non-timber forest products for economic development. 

Perempuan dan Generasi Muda Adalah Juru Kunci Konservasi Hutan  

Degradasi hutan berdampak besar pada ketahanan pangan, mata pencaharian komunitas di lokasi terpencil, dan perubahan iklim. Namun sayangnya, di berbagai belahan dunia, bias gender membuat perempuan seringkali terampas dari hak mengakses hasil hutan dan tidak dianggap penting terlibat dalam tata kelola hutan dan pengambilan keputusan. Oleh sebab itu, manajemen dan pengelolaan hutan tidak seharusnya hanya dieksekusi oleh pemerintah, namun juga memerlukan peran aktif civic society organization (CSO). Perempuan dan kaum muda sepatutnya memegang peran penting dalam pengelolaan hutan disekitar kehidupannya.  

Melalui program Environmental Governance The Asia Foundation, dan dengan dukungan Google.org, program Perhutanan Sosial Bagi Perempuan dan Generasi Muda (PSPGM) mengadakan rangkaian pertemuan di Bengkulu, Samarinda, Sintang, dan Poso. Acara bertujuan untuk memperkuat jaringan kelompok perempuan, pemerintah dan sektor swasta, agar dapat berinteraksi dan bertukar praktik baik dalam tata kelola hasil hutan serta memperkuat pasar. PSPGM menekankan pentingnya peranan kaum muda dan perempuan dalam inisiatif tata kelola hutan.  

Program PSPGM telah berhasil mendorong dikeluarkannya pengajuan 5.000 hektar Program Perhutanan Sosial oleh Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan; 34 KUPS (Kelompok Usaha Perhutanan Sosial) perempuan terbentuk dengan tujuan meningkatkan 30% pendapatan keluarga; membuka pasar domestik; dan sekaligus sarana berekspresi kelompok perempuan, termasuk dalam kegiatan eco-tourism di Rano-Donggala; 650 perempuan terlibat dalam  kegiatan usaha perhutanan sosial (KUPS), and 300 perempuan terlibat dalam pengambilan keputusan dalam manajemen hutan dan KUPS setempat.  

Program Perhutanan Sosial Bagi Perempuan dan Generasi Muda (PSPGM) adalah bentuk dukungan program Environmental Governance The Asia Foundation agar komunitas setempat berperan aktif dalam pengambilan keputusan terkait hutan dan tata kelola lahan, turut berpartisipasi mempromosikan kebijakan ramah hutan, serta dapat lebih memanfaatkan hasil hutan bukan kayu untuk peningkatan ekonomi.  

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