Efforts to fight for the rights of indigenous women are echoed again in the commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025. Indigenous women are at the forefront of caring for nature and livelihoods, and defending the rights of their communities. The role of indigenous women is crucial in maintaining environmental sustainability and food sovereignty. They are not only users of forests and land, but also caretakers of cultural traditions and custodians of traditional knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation. The lack of recognition and protection of the rights of indigenous women has limited their living space.

In the midst of these challenges, we hope that the Draft Law on Indigenous Peoples, which is expected to become a legal umbrella for the protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, will soon be discussed and passed. Veni Siregar, coordinator of the Civil Society Coalition to Guard the Indigenous Peoples Bill, said the Indigenous Peoples Bill, which has been fought for more than two decades, should be a concrete solution for the House of Representatives to fight for by passing this policy as a form of recognition and protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

‘Without a strong legal umbrella, indigenous peoples, especially indigenous women, continue to face the threat of violence, discrimination and criminalisation when fighting for their rights,’ Veni said.