Canada Launches Women’s Empowerment Program for the Protection of the Coral Triangle

Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, a coastal women’s empowerment program has been launched to strengthen women’s roles in protecting the Coral Triangle, one of the world’s most crucial marine regions. Initiated by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the program was launched in Jakarta on Tuesday (April 14) in collaboration with the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF).

The program will be implemented in four countries—Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands—with support from local partners, including Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) in Indonesia and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in the Philippines. In Indonesia, the program focuses on two strategic areas within the Coral Triangle: the Bird’s Head Seascape in Raja Ampat, West Papua Province, and the Teon, Nila, and Serua Islands in Central Maluku Regency, Maluku Province. These regions host extraordinarily rich marine biodiversity but are increasingly under threat from climate change and resource exploitation.

Andy Artha Donny Oktopura, Head of the Planning Bureau and Acting Secretary-General of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, as the Focal Point of the Women Leader Forum from the CTI-CFF Indonesia National Coordinating Committee, expressed appreciation for the support from the Canadian government and other international and national partners. He emphasized that this program aligns with Indonesia’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive ocean management. “Engaging women and coastal communities as key actors will enhance the effectiveness of conservation while strengthening the social and economic resilience of local communities,” Andy said.

Canada’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Jess Dutton, highlighted that the program is built on three pillars. First, enhancing women’s knowledge, skills, and leadership to actively participate in natural resource management. Second, expanding access to funding mechanisms that ensure equal participation of women in managing natural resources and addressing climate change solutions. Third, strengthening women’s involvement in governance and policy advocacy.

Through this approach, women are expected to take on leadership roles in protecting marine and coastal ecosystems while reinforcing the resilience of their communities. “Canada believes that women play a vital role in environmental protection and natural resource management,” Dutton said.

Dr. Frank Keith Griffin, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, said that the initiative reflects the shared commitment of CTI-CFF member countries and their partners to promote inclusive, community-based marine conservation. He stressed that women’s empowerment is not only about equity but also a strategic approach to enhancing the resilience of coastal ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. “Through this collaboration, we reaffirm the importance of local leadership, knowledge exchange, and regional cooperation in preserving the Coral Triangle for future generations,” Frank said.

He added that as a regional coordination platform, CTI-CFF supports the program by facilitating collaboration among member countries and partners while promoting gender-responsive coastal and marine management. The program is closely connected with CTI-CFF’s Women Leaders’ Forum (WLF), a regional platform to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in conservation. This connection ensures that the program both contributes to and benefits from ongoing efforts to sustainably empower women across the Coral Triangle region.

Women’s Leadership for Sustainable Oceans

The Coral Triangle is recognized as the global epicenter of marine biodiversity, home to roughly 76 percent of the world’s coral species and 37 percent of reef fish species. Coral reefs and coastal habitats in the region provide food, livelihoods, and cultural identity for millions of people. However, climate change, overexploitation, and unsustainable fishing practices continue to threaten its survival.

Kathryn Michie, TNC’s Asia Pacific Program Director, highlighted the critical role of women in addressing these challenges. “Women are vital in natural resource management and are often the most affected by climate change. However, they are frequently left out of decision-making spaces. This program allows us to support women to take on greater leadership roles in conservation and climate adaptation,” she said.

Herlina Hartanto, Executive Director of YKAN, shared that YKAN has been working with the government and local communities in the Bird’s Head Seascape since 2002. One of the key approaches has been supporting traditional wisdom and local practices, such as sasi, in marine resource management. “In three villages in Raja Ampat, we support women’s groups to lead sasi practices. We will also mentor women’s groups in the Teon, Nila, and Serua Islands. Support from the Canadian government allows us to further strengthen women’s active role in driving fair and sustainable marine conservation and management,” Herlina explained.

Silpa Botot, a woman from Aduwei Village in North Misool District, Raja Ampat, attended the launch in Jakarta and expressed her gratitude for Canada’s support. She said the assistance is crucial for preserving nature as a legacy from their ancestors. “Thank you for helping the women of Misool. We hope our efforts will continue to improve and progress into the future. We still want to keep learning so that nature remains preserved for our children and grandchildren,” said Silpa, a member of the Joom Jak Sasi women’s group, entrusted since 2022 with managing natural resources in their area through the sasi system.

The program launch was attended by government representatives from the six Coral Triangle member countries, program staff, implementing partners, and women leaders from communities in Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. The initiative aims to reach approximately 11,000 people and contribute to the protection of around 65,000 hectares of crucial ecosystems in the Coral Triangle.