Wahid Foundation Initiates Peaceful Villages, Women's Empowerment Movement Voices Peace

Yenny Wahid (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Wahid Foundation organized the National Movement Nusantara Forum for a Peaceful, Fair, and Equal Indonesia.

The event was also attended by the Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), I Gusti Bintang Darmawati, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and several regional head representatives.

In her remarks, the Director of Wahid Foundation, Yenny Wahid said, since 2017 his party has been building joint efforts through the peaceful village initiative. The goal is resilience from the triggers of violence and social rifts, which is put forward by female actors

According to her, resilience is increasingly important, especially in the current pandemic situation. Where it has been almost 2 years that all of the world's people have been dealing with COVID-19 and tearing the fabric of life.

"We are all tested, how strong is the resilience of our economic system, our service system, our social solidarity, and our individual psychology. Everything is tested. Social cohesion and solidarity between people are currently the capital we need the most", said Yenny.

This year, she continued, peaceful villages have developed in 4 provinces, namely West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java. Initially, only 9 villages participated, but now there are a total of 14 villages.

In the midst of a pandemic, the Wahid Foundation together with peace actors tried to take a role to be useful in the midst of society. Provide proper education about vaccines, work together to help residents who are undergoing self-isolation, distribute healthy food aid, and so on.

"In Jogja, the name (movement, red) is as much as possible, we help other people, especially the self-isolation patient. Some time ago we also held vaccinations. We also had the opportunity to distribute ambulance assistance to several peaceful villages", said the daughter of the 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur.

However, said Yenny, the spearhead of the success of this movement are peace actors, especially groups consisting of women, youth, government, community leaders, and religious leaders.

"All working hand in hand and commitment to hard work have made us able to get through this pandemic", she continued.

In the Nusantara forum, according to Yenny, everyone can learn how to manage finances, build a business, and learn leadership. Because, she said, everyone has the right and obligation to be a leader at least for herself.

"Moreover, we are grateful for the many people. When we teach the environment not to cut down trees we have become leaders. When we teach to strengthen our body's immune system to make herbs, we invite our neighbors to do that, we become leaders. So what is called leadership science can be learned by anyone?. Whether officials or ordinary people", she explained.

In addition, Yenny said, digital-based MSMEs were also taught, early response detection, and various other sciences.

"At www.peacevillage.id users can also access peaceful village textbooks. There are guides there and enjoy the peaceful village gallery on the virtualtour.peacevillage.id page", she explained.

Despite being hit by a pandemic, continued Yenny, peaceful village actors have been able to reach a new stage, not just gathering themselves to promote peaceful villages. But they have also succeeded in building protection and empowerment of women's groups in responding to cases of gender violence and violent extremism.

In Sidomulyo, Malang, East Java, for example. Ayong's house was successfully built there. Apart from being a place for children and youth to adults to learn, Ayong's house was also managed by a working group that formed a task force for handling and protecting empowerment to prevent conflicts of radicalism and violence.

In Madura, Balai Jember or Bahagia Hall was also built, dedicated by Guluk-Guluk Village as a discussion room and also able to report if there are difficulties that befall the family.

"This is part of an effort to build a mechanism to protect against violence. Actors in Sumenep have proven that the island of Madura has been synonymous with violence. But here they are proving that the voice of the message of peace, friendly, can be removed from Madura", Yenny said.

"We also realize that the role of women must be increased, especially if we provide training, economic capacity so that women can be empowered in their environment. Especially in the family environment", said Yenny Wahid.