BNPB and Bappenas: Strengthening the Role of Women and Persons with Disabilities in Disaster Risk Reduction

Indonesia is a disaster-prone country that frequently faces various natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. This vulnerability is primarily due to Indonesia’s geographical location along the confluence of tectonic plates and its tropical climate, which results in a high risk of natural disasters across most regions (BNPB Disaster Risk Index, 2021). The World Risk Index (WRI) further highlights this vulnerability by ranking Indonesia among the countries most at risk for natural disasters.

As climate uncertainty increases, the threat of natural disasters becomes even more pronounced. In conjunction with International Women’s Day 2025, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) organised a national workshop themed “Accelerating Women’s Empowerment and Inclusivity in Disaster Risk Reduction.”

The workshop aimed to explore aspects of gender equality, inclusivity, and social inclusion in disaster risk management. It included assessments of existing gaps, sharing of successful practices, and efforts to empower women and marginalised groups to take on leadership roles, ultimately creating more equitable and effective disaster management strategies.

During the workshop’s opening, Raditya Jati, Deputy for Systems and Strategy of BNPB, highlighted the critical role of women in disaster scenarios. He noted that women not only fulfil their caregiving responsibilities within families but also actively contribute to social activities, such as working in public kitchens and health posts during crises.

“In a disaster situation, the roles and responsibilities of women actually increase. Women are not just individuals who need protection; they are also active participants and agents of change. Therefore, a gender perspective must be integrated into all disaster reduction policies and actions to lessen women’s vulnerability and ensure that both men and women have equal opportunities for capacity building,” said Raditya.

Maliki, Deputy for Community Empowerment, Population, and Manpower of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), emphasises the importance of women in disaster management. He pointed out that women and children often represent the largest group of disaster victims. Currently, disaster management strategies frequently overlook the needs of women and persons with disabilities. Thus, adopting a gender-focused approach is essential to strengthening the roles of these groups in reducing disaster risks.

“Women play vital roles in disaster management, serving as victims, activists, and leaders. They can contribute throughout all phases of disaster management, from pre-disaster preparation to post-disaster recovery. Similarly, individuals with disabilities deserve equal advocacy regarding disaster issues,” Maliki stated at the National Workshop on Accelerating Women’s Empowerment and Inclusivity in Disaster Risk Reduction in Jakarta.

Maliki added that disaster management cannot be solved in the same way between male victims, women, the elderly, the sick, and the disabled. He said, disaster management must be gender-responsive because data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) shows that women have a 14 times higher risk of becoming victims of disasters than men.

“Women and people with disabilities are vulnerable and marginalized groups who will be more affected by climate change and disaster risk because they have limited access and social exclusion that reduces the safety net,” Maliki said.

Maliki added that access to inclusive preparedness services ensures that pre-disaster training, disaster preparedness infrastructure, and disaster information are accessible and received by vulnerable groups, including women and people with disabilities.  Strengthening the safety net and inclusive rehabilitation of women and persons with disabilities will require an inclusive and gender-based post-disaster safety net and rehabilitation scheme.

On the same occasion, Simon Flores, Counsellor Development Effectiveness and Humanitarian at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta said that everyone has a role to play in protecting the most vulnerable members of our society, including children, the elderly, women, and people with disabilities. Simon also expressed his appreciation for the organization of the workshop which reflected the real commitment of various parties in realizing sustainable disaster resilience. This workshop is the result of collaboration between the Governments of Indonesia and Australia through a bilateral program, SIAP SIAGA. One of the main focuses of the SIAP SIAGA Program is to improve the integration of gender equality, disability, and social inclusion in the disaster management framework in Indonesia, to create sustainable resilience, so that the lives of the Indonesian people can be saved in times of disaster, and to ensure that no one is left behind.