Empowering Local Communities in Indonesia to Defend their Land Rights

By Yogi Bratajaya, Legal Fellow

Participants and trainers.

Photo credit: Akar Global Inisiatif

In May 2026, International Lawyers Project (ILP), in collaboration with Akar Global Inisiatif and with support from the Indonesian Ministry of Law, convened a three-day training titled “School for Public Legal Aid (Sekolah Pendamping Hukum Rakyat)” for members of the local community in Bengkulu, Indonesia and surrounding areas. The participants consisted of local farmers and members of the Rejang indigenous community in Lebong Regency, whose land overlaps and directly borders a geothermal project that has adversely impacted their livelihoods. This training aimed to enhance the participants’ understanding of relevant environmental and human rights standards under both domestic and international law.

The training was specifically developed to address issues faced by women, with the first day focusing on “Gender, Minorities and Vulnerable Groups”, in a session delivered by Susi Handayani, Director of the Bengkulu PUPA Foundation. Susi and the participants discussed the systemic and structural factors that contribute towards gender discrimination and which render women at heightened vulnerability from environmental harms and the impacts of climate change. The session emphasised the numerous gender injustices faced by women, including but not limited to marginalisation (reflected in the persisting gender wage gap and the disproportionate composition of women that make up the workforce in the informal sector), gender stereotyping, women’s double burden (referring to the burden of work on women to generate income and household responsibilities that leave them with little or no time left for other aspects, such as pursuing education or participating in political life), and gender-based violence. The session considered the disproportionate impact  of environmental damage on vulnerable groups, including women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, Indigenous peoples and people living in poverty, and highlighted how these conditions of vulnerability often intersect and compound. Susi provided an overview of the international and domestic legal frameworks that protect the rights of vulnerable groups in Indonesia, such as Law No. 39 of 1999 on Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD). 

On the second day, I was delighted to be asked to deliver a session on the theme “Rights-based Protection of Rainforests under International and National Law” covering how international law protects the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities in forest conservation. The session aimed to equip participants with a strong understanding of international law and standards governing Indigenous rights, so that they can use these legal standards in their efforts to defend human rights violations and seek effective redress for violations that have occurred. I provided an overview of the legal basis under international law of Indigenous peoples’ right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), emphasising that the obligation to ensure FPIC is not merely a “checkbox exercise” and that the process must be undertaken in good faith through the Indigenous peoples’ own representative institutions with the aim of obtaining their consent. I also highlighted two case studies regarding the application of FPIC and Indigenous land rights: the Ogiek case before the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Indonesian Supreme Court’s Decision No. 5287 K/Pdt/2025.

The third day built on the previous two with a session on “Law, Human Rights and the Role of Citizens in Monitoring Policy” delivered by Bivitri Susanti, co-founder of the Center for Indonesian Law and Policy Studies (PSHK). This session discussed the important role of law and legal institutions in upholding human rights and the rule of law and in ensuring that the needs of all citizens are met. Bivitri emphasised the importance of guaranteeing transparency in all aspects of government, ensuring effective public participation in decision-making and combatting all forms of corruption, abuse of power and nepotism.

In addition to providing substantive knowledge on the law and human rights standards, the training increased participants’ practical skills on aspects such as communication, the role of legal aid and paralegals, and the provision of legal support to women and children. Further, to ensure the long-term impact of this training, participants will undertake a three-month “actualisation” programme where they are tasked with implementing the skills they have gained within their local communities and to report back to Akar.

Through legal education and practical skills training, this programme supported Indigenous and local communities to be able to better protect Indonesia’s crucial ecosystems and forests by advocating for respect for FPIC and public participation rights, thereby contributing to efforts to prevent climate change and helping to ensure a just transition to renewable energy.

Further viewing: I was invited to become a guest-speaker in an episode of Akar’s podcast with the theme “Rights-based Protection of Rainforests: From International Instruments to Local Movements”. The full episode of the podcast (in Indonesian) is available here.

International Lawyers Project provides pro bono legal support to more than 100 civil society organisations, communities and individuals each year. Through our Environment and Sustainable Development programme, ILP works with our partners to protect community land rights and biodiversity, combat environmental crime and corruption, provide guidance on the implementation of fiscal tools for sustainable development, and ensure a just transition.

If you need assistance or advice in this area, please contact us at contact@internationallawyersproject.org to discuss how we can help.