Since May 2022, IPAS Indonesia has been exploring cooperation with a new CSO Partner, namely KPKPST (Central Sulawesi Women’s Equality Struggle Group) based in Palu. KPKPST has worked for more than twenty years in Central Sulawesi in the post Poso conflict situation and after the 2018 tsunami earthquake disaster to advocate for women’s issues.
KPKPST works with community women at the grassroots by building women-friendly spaces and sexual violence complaint posts by training women to become leaders in their respective communities. These women leaders become community facilitators on a daily basis and are able to educate others on various issues. Currently, KPKPST is assisting 20 villages in Sigi and Donggala districts.
Knowledge about women’s sexual health and reproduction is a right that should be enjoyed. However, in reality, this access is difficult to obtain due to several conditions such as the lack of health workers in the village or, rarely having reproductive health counseling, the distance to the hospital, and so on. KPKPST and IPAS Indonesia share the vision that it is important for women to have comprehensive knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health.
Before starting the women’s organizing and policy advocacy project in July – October 2022, IPAS provided capacity building for field coordinators and community leaders of KPKPST care in the form of VCAT Training. Value Clarification and Attitude Transformation is a training that explores and clarifies one’s personal values towards knowledge about gender equality and sexual and reproductive health.
This training was delivered by the Director of IPAS Indonesia, Dr. Marcia Soumokil MPH for one full day and was attended by 18 participants. (*)
