Other publication / Published on Konde.co
This article examines why gender sensitivity is essential for effective disaster risk reduction in Indonesia. It argues that the country’s disaster responses, illustrated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2025 floods in Sumatra and Aceh, have largely been shaped by centralized, command-driven governance that prioritizes speed, control, and visible state authority. While these approaches aim to manage emergencies efficiently, they often overlook gender-responsive planning and the everyday realities faced by women during crises.
In many disaster contexts, women experience disproportionate impacts. During the pandemic and post-flood recovery, women carried heavier burdens of unpaid care work, faced heightened risks of gender-based violence, and encountered barriers in accessing aid and recovery programs. Emergency shelters and relief systems frequently lacked adequate attention to privacy, reproductive health services, childcare, and safety, issues that directly affect women’s wellbeing. At the same time, the article highlights that women are not simply vulnerable victims. Across Indonesia, women have demonstrated strong grassroots leadership in disaster response. They organize community kitchens, coordinate local relief networks, care for children and elderly residents, and help maintain social cohesion during crises. Indigenous women also contribute important ecological knowledge that supports long-term environmental stewardship and community resilience.
Despite these contributions, women’s roles remain underrecognized in formal disaster governance. The article therefore calls for stronger integration of gender perspectives in emergency policies, including gender-disaggregated data, women’s participation in decision-making, and the recognition of Indigenous women’s knowledge in environmental and climate policies. Strengthening gender-sensitive governance, the article concludes, is not only a matter of equity but also a practical step toward building more resilient and sustainable disaster responses in Indonesia.rticle explores why gender sensitivity is crucial for disaster risk reduction in Indonesia.
The piece highlights how disaster governance in Indonesia often relies on centralized and militaristic approaches that overlook gender perspectives. As a result, women’s specific vulnerabilities and contributions in crisis response remain underrecognized. The article emphasizes that women are not only among the most affected during disasters, but also play critical roles in community resilience organizing mutual aid, managing shelters, supporting livelihoods, and sustaining local knowledge. Strengthening gender-responsive disaster governance is therefore essential to build more just and resilient communities.
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DEEP EnGender Author
Daniel Jeremia Natanael Nababan
Mr. Daniel Jeremia Natanael Nababan is a social researcher focusing on environmental governance and climate policy, with particular attention to European Union–ASEAN relations. His academic work examines the political dimensions of climate governance, including the mechanisms of European Union climate hegemony toward ASEAN countries and the implementation of EU forest fire policies in the post-pandemic context. He holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Sociology from Universitas Negeri Jakarta and a Master of Science in European Studies from Universitas Indonesia.
