Ainun grew up on the Indonesian island of Borneo. In her village, electricity was scarce and internet access non-existent. As a result, information about critical issues such as gender-based violence (GBV) never reached her hometown. Only after Ainun moved to Yogyakarta was she able to identify harassment and violence she had witnessed in the past.
Meet the defenders
Meet the defenders is a series highlighting inspiring human rights activists supported by Hivos. This work needs your support, your contribution helps protect lives and sustain the human rights movement.
Ainun believes understanding the root causes of gender-based violence is essential. Through her organization, Ainun works across Indonesia to prevent and address GBV. Their work spans from supporting individuals and communities to influencing policy at national and global levels.
Working in a militarized environment
An important part of preventing GBV is engaging with those in positions of power and advocating policy reform.
“The current regime in Indonesia is very masculine and militaristic. This means we have to work harder and fight harder for democratization.”
Public trust of the police and military is low in Indonesia. “The military contributes to violence against women, particularly in conflict zones and eastern Indonesia”, Ainun says. This is why her organization provides training and workshops for police officers and health care providers.
They also raise awareness through social media campaigns and collaborate with a forum dedicated to protecting GBV survivors. Yet, navigating a male-dominated environment is not always easy or safe. For many women, making ends meet on a minimum wage is already a daily struggle.
Collective care
Ainun draws strength in the idea of collective care. “Whenever I face sadness, sorrow or unfortunate situations, I know I’m not alone. I have friends that support me, I am able to mobilize on social media, and I feel strengthened by the Gen Z protest movement in Indonesia. I know that no matter the challenges, I’m not alone.”
Since March 2025, protests have continued across Indonesia in response to democratic backsliding, economic hardship, unemployment, police brutality, and other concerns. The most recent demonstrations, held in August 2026, turned violent and deadly. Ainun and her colleagues witnessed brutality and death amongst friends and fellow activists.
With the support of Hivos, Ainun’s organization was able to connect with a range of civil society organizations and create an alarm system to signal when organizations face threats or are in crisis. “As a movement you need the skill of survival, especially with the current ruling regime in Indonesia. We learnt to build networks, especially post-August strikes, worked on holistic security and safety, and created guidelines for digital security and safety.”
The system does more than indicate whether an organization is safe or at risk. Beyond moments of protest, it helps organizations identify and respond to digital, physical, and psychosocial threats.
Ainun also works with Paramedis Jalanan (Street Paramedics), providing medical support during protests. They distribute water, provide oxygen, and care for people who faint or become unwell. They also train people in crisis response, first aid and have a trained team that helps to prevent sexual violence during demonstrations.
From chaos to change
“Sometimes the movement pursues chaos, so it gets noticed by the government. But I believe there are certain stages to change, and I hope we can move past the point of chaos and start the stage of development”, says Ainun.
But she stresses the importance of including marginalized groups, such as people with disabilities.
Social movements should be owned by the vulnerable groups and collective care is key.
That is why support from people like you matters. With your donation, Hivos can continue supporting courageous activists like Ainun, strengthening local movements and help protect the rights that women and girls have fought so hard to secure.
