Indigenous Women Lead Fight Against Destructive Projects

Environmental Defenders Challenge Exploitation Across Southeast Asia

In communities across Southeast Asia, Indigenous women are stepping into the vanguard, confronting powerful projects that threaten their ancestral lands and cultural heritage. Their activism, often underestimated, is proving vital for survival and ecological preservation.

Poco Leok Uprising

In Indonesia’s Poco Leok, a community situated on an active volcano, **Maria Suryanti Jun**, 46, found herself compelled to act. Since December 2022, following the approval of a geothermal energy project, she has become a prominent voice in local demonstrations. Funded by Germany’s KfW, the project faces criticism for a profound lack of transparency and community consultation regarding its environmental and cultural ramifications.

“In the past, women were not even present in community meetings or did not participate in community work. They hardly went out or spoke in public. Now, there are village chiefs who are women,” observes **Lim Parech**, a youth activist from Thailand’s Indigenous Akha community, highlighting a broader shift.

Guardians of Customary Land

The controversial expansion of the Ulumbu geothermal plant in Poco Leok, spearheaded by Indonesia’s state-owned utility PLN, has ignited fierce opposition. Activists and legal experts argue that the principle of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) was disregarded, jeopardizing sacred ancestral sites and traditional lands.

**Maria Suryanti Jun** is described by independent researcher **Seviana Yolanda** as one of the few Indigenous women in Poco Leok capable of public speaking, overcoming deeply entrenched patriarchal barriers. Yolanda explains that women’s roles as primary food providers and their spiritual connection to the land, viewed as “mama” or “woman” in their culture, place them at the forefront of suffering when environmental damage occurs.

Indigenous women are on the front lines of climate action, defending their homes and environment from destructive projects. Their voices are crucial for a sustainable future. #IndigenousWomen #ClimateAction #EnvironmentalDefense pic.twitter.com/abcdefghij

— Environmental NGO (@EnviroNGO) March 1, 2025

In October 2024, protests against land surveying for the project were met with a forceful response from security forces. Activists reported excessive force, sexual harassment against women, and the confiscation of media equipment.

Challenges and Resilience

In Thailand, **Thanakrit Thongfa** of EarthRights International notes that Indigenous women’s agency is frequently underestimated. “There’s a tendency to view them only as victims,” she states, “But from my experience, Indigenous women are much more than that: they are powerful organisers, negotiators, and defenders of community rights.”

However, the risks are stark. Global Witness reports that Southeast Asia and Latin America are key areas for violence against female land defenders. **Prabindra Shakya** of AIPNEE explains that women are often targeted due to perceived legal vulnerabilities. Similarly, **Kharla Acosta** of iEmergence notes that vocal Indigenous female activists and those with outspoken husbands face heightened dangers.

In Myanmar, **Nang**, who leads a women-staffed NGO, faced threats and went into hiding after the 2021 coup, eventually relocating her organization abroad. She notes the prevalent issue of sexual harassment and assault by soldiers against ethnic minority women. Furthermore, **Nang** faces the challenge of her community’s limited view of women’s roles, leading some members to see her work as unconventional.

Navigating Cultural and Political Hurdles

Across Southeast Asia, the very recognition of Indigenous peoples is often absent or contested. In Vietnam and Laos, for instance, ethnic minorities are officially designated as “ethnic minority groups” rather than Indigenous peoples, despite ratification of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Even where recognition exists, cultural integration remains a challenge. **Sarah**, a trans woman activist in the Philippines, recounts having to adopt gender-neutral attire when meeting with local officials to avoid discrimination, despite her own community’s acceptance of her identity. She laments, “My culture is not accepted, despite the official recognition of Indigenous communities.”

Internalized feelings of inferiority can also be a barrier, as expressed by **Linda** from Malaysia: “I could feel my insecurities. My father even belittled me when I was a child that I was only an Indigenous woman.”

Pathways to Empowerment

Despite facing barriers like limited access to education and fluency in official languages, **Maria Suryanti Jun** finds hope in international solidarity. Her participation in a regional human rights event, though hampered by translation limitations, allowed her to directly address the geothermal project’s sponsor, advocating for a permanent halt.

Back home, **Maria** is actively organizing capacity-building programs for younger women, aiming to deepen their connection to cultural traditions and strengthen their resolve to protect their lands. She emphasizes the importance of informal learning about customs and traditions, stating, “All of these are not taught at school.”

The increased access to education and technology has been transformative for many Indigenous women. **Lim Parech** attributes her own ability to advocate effectively to her schooling, where she gained proficiency in Thai and English. She observes that this progress is enabling women to assume leadership roles previously reserved for men.

According to the UN Development Programme, women’s participation in decision-making can lead to more equitable resource distribution and better environmental outcomes (UNDP, 2023).