“Recognition is the first step to being able to help… We need to do a lot more than treat symptomatic wounds” Dr. Salim says. Dr. Salim works as part of a UNFPA (The United Nations Population Fund) pilot program to combat gender-based violence and domestic violence. This program covers 11 districts in Indonesia and it supports the Government in policy making along with training health care providers. Local partners are encouraged to advocate for victims to come forward and seek help beyond treating their physical wounds. The results seem to be influential as seven cases of domestic violence have been identified in the first three months compared to the one to two cases recognized in a year in the past. 

Despite notable progress in gender equality (including the increase of access for women and girls to education, employment, and health services), gender-based violence remains a serious public health and human rights concern in Indonesia. The Government has recognized the need for a systematic solution to ending gender-based violence and has even partnered with UN agencies like UNFPA and UN Women. The number of reported cases has increased from around 216,000 in 2012 to close to 458,000 in 2022, according to the National Commission on Violence against Women.

Shame is not the only reason that keeps victims from coming forward; there is also a financial disincentive. UNFPA runs a safe house, where currently two families live, and organizes training programs, including training for men on the prevention of gender-based and family violence.

Epidemics are known to cause a spike in incidents of gender-based violence, including domestic and sexual abuse, as households struggle with heightened tensions, economic pressures, and increased confinement in homes. The COVID-19 pandemic weakened the protection system and in the 2016 Indonesian National Women’s Life Experience Survey results showed that 1 in 3 women have experienced this and points out that these cases under the pandemic situation are vastly underreported. SEJIWA, Psychiatric Health Services was launched on April 29, 2020; “SEJIWA aims to provide support to women and children as vulnerable groups, on psychosocial problems, including threats of lowered quality of mental health, anxiety, stress or depression, caused by the economic downturn,” stated by Minister Bintang Puspayoga of MOWECP. Along with combating the physical abuse these women face, their mental health is just as important. With UNFPA funding for the issue of GBV (gender-based violence), more women are able to report their situation and get taken care of. 

To prevent further GBV, UNFPA uses comprehensive sexuality education as a primary prevention strategy since it helps adolescents nurture positive gender-equitable attitudes and values, which have been proven linked to reducing violence, and healthier, equitable, non-violent relationships.  UNFPA has also partnered with the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, a global grant-making mechanism that invests in initiatives by civil society organizations from around the world that aim to end GBV through law and policy implementation and access to essential services for survivors. UNFPA supports governments in the implementation of international agreements including the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Agenda, etc. With new laws being implemented, GBV is able to be prevented.