UNFPA Partners with Guardian Girls Indonesia and the Japan Foundation on Southeast Asia Women Citizen Dialogue to End Violence against Women and Girls

UNFPA proudly co-organized the Southeast Asia Women Citizen Dialogue Indonesia (SEA-WCD Indonesia), a landmark forum dedicated to accelerating regional action on gender equality, women’s leadership, and the prevention of violence against women and girls. Held in partnership with Guardian Girls International (GGI), Guardian Girls Indonesia, and the Japan Foundation Indonesia, the event positioned Indonesia as the first ASEAN member state to host this regional dialogue. 

“Indonesia has the opportunity to become a regional and global leader in advancing women’s empowerment through sports, culture, and community action. Through partnerships across Southeast Asia, we hope to create safer, more inclusive, and sustainable communities for women and girls,” said Shin Koyamada, Co-Founder and Secretary General of GGI.

The dialogue is an innovative approach to bridging the gap between policy and practice, highlighting sports-based empowerment as a powerful tool for change, equipping women and girls with the physical and psychological tools for self-protection, confidence, leadership, and overall well-being.

“Advancing sexual and reproductive health and ending violence against women and girls is at the very core of UNFPA’s mandate. When women and girls are safe, confident, and empowered, then the entire communities thrive,” said Mr. Hassan Mohtashami, UNFPA Representative in Indonesia. “Let us use today’s dialogue to inspire actionable change across Indonesia and Southeast Asia.”

Despite significant progress, violence against women remains one of the world's most pervasive human rights violations. In Indonesia, approximately one in four women aged 15-64 has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, according to the National Women’s Life Experience Survey (SPHPN) 2024. This reality underscores the urgent need to achieve UNFPA’s global commitments known as the Transformative Results: ending preventable maternal deaths; ending unmet need for family planning; adapting to demographic changes; and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls.

The forum brought together leaders from the government, international organizations, national sports federations, and civil society to discuss the theme "From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Safety through Community and Sports in Southeast Asia." 

“Japan highly values international cooperation that promotes mutual understanding, inclusion, and the empowerment of women and girls. We are pleased to support initiatives that strengthen regional dialogue and people-to-people connections across Southeast Asia,” said Mr. Myochin Mitsuru, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia.

Panelists included Ms. Desy Andriani, Deputy for Protection of Women’s Rights, Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA), alongside safeguarding and gender equality officers from the Indonesia Olympic Committee. The event, held at the Japan Foundation, also featured Guardian Girls sports-based seminars—in Karate, Ju-Jitsu, Pencak Silat, Vovinam, Judo, and Aikido—led by certified women instructors, aiming to expand self-protection skills and community engagement nationwide.

“The Japan Foundation is honored to support this important regional platform that brings together leaders from diverse sectors through dialogue, culture, and community engagement. We hope this initiative will inspire continued collaboration and positive social impact throughout Southeast Asia,” said Mr. Inami Kazumi, Director General of The Japan Foundation Indonesia.

By strengthening institutional capacity, closing gaps, and transforming adverse social norms, initiatives like SEA-WCD Indonesia accelerate progress toward national priorities and global commitments, ensuring that no one is left behind.

About UNFPA Indonesia

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, works to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Since 1972, UNFPA has been one of Indonesia’s most prominent partners in reproductive health, youth, population and development, and gender equality. UNFPA strives to achieve the Three Transformative Results, a global commitment to end preventable maternal deaths, unmet need for family planning, and gender-based violence and harmful practices, guided by the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 Agenda. To learn more, please visit indonesia.unfpa.org.

For further information, please contact:

Rahmi Dian Agustino (Communications Analyst, UNFPA Indonesia): agustino@unfpa.org