The prolonged conflict in Central Sulawesi, especially in Poso, greatly affected the communities involved with many believing that women were disproportionately affected. So it is gratifying that, in Poso, women have always played a significant part in bringing about peace through their role in the community as mediators both during community gatherings and meetings. Poso women have also undertaken a role as peace educators in their families in addition to having a strong social network with their peers and other community groups, which can help mitigate against any potential conflict.

However, despite being key participants in any peace process, many women in Poso struggle on another battlefield; their own home. Women in Poso still suffer from violence in the home which often goes hand in hand with increased communal violence. Further to this, an increased military presence, poverty and the results of a large numbers of displaced people in Poso inevitably add to the numbers of women in vulnerable situations.

Through the SERASI program, USAID provides funding for the Kelompok Perjuangan Kesetaraan Perempuan Sulawesi Tengah (KPKPST) or The Group for the Struggle toward Women’s Equality in Central Sulawesi, a local Civil Society Organization that focuses its work on improving and promoting women’s rights in Central Sulawesi. With grant funds, KPKPST’s program focuses on increasing access for female victims of violence to justice and advocates for protective policies for women everywhere.

KPKPST has facilitated various activities to empower women in 40 villages in six sub districts of Poso. These activities include capacity building workshops and training sessions for volunteers working with victims, community discussions, volunteer and survivor meetings, and the establishment of 30 Village Information and Reporting Centers for Victims of Violence against Women and Children.

In addition to successfully maximizing the role of the volunteers in assisting the victims and in managing the Village Reporting Centers, KPKPST has persistently advocated for the 2008 Provincial Regulation (or Peraturan Daerah) Number 06 which focuses on the treatment for, and protection of women and child in Poso to local government, including the Poso district police force. As a result KPKPST has been invited to provide consultancy services for the local police force in handling cases of violence against women and children.

SERASI is a three-year USAID funded project focusing on conflict mitigation and supporting peacebuilding activities. It is implemented by International Relief and Development (IRD).