The climate crisis is evidently worsening the reproductive health of women and adolescent girls in Indonesia. How can this condition be portrayed through photo media? IPAS Indonesia Foundation invited young people aged 19-24 from Sigi and Donggala, Central Sulawesi, to answer this challenge in a Photovoice Training Workshop. This training was conducted on March 5-8, 2024 in Palu, Central Sulawesi.
Faradiva Aulia Azmi’s eyes fill with tears as she presents her photos taken in her village, Kotapulu, Sigi, which is 30 minutes away from Palu. She interviewed a woman who married at the age of 15 due to economic hardship caused by crop failure.
“The land was sold because the drought could not cultivate. Out of pity [dengan keluarganya], feeling he [menjadi] burden [keluarga], [dia] decided to get married. Maybe by getting married his burden is reduced a little,” said Dinda telling the story of the source in the photo.
Siti was married at the age of 15, precisely when she was in the 2nd grade of junior high school. As a result of her marriage, Siti was forced to drop out of school. Her marriage was not of her own free will, but of necessity. Siti’s parents arranged her marriage at a very young age to ease the family’s economic burden. They had sold the family land due to the impact of the climate crisis and switched professions from farmers to binte biluhata (corn soup) sellers. Photo and narration by: Faradiva Aulia Izmi
The same narrative was also conveyed by another participant from Donggala Regency, Dito. He interviewed his friend who was forced to marry as a child because his parents could not support him. His parents’ income as farm laborers was not enough due to extreme weather that caused crop failure.
The practice of child marriage is almost commonplace in these two areas. They think that by marrying off their children, the economic problems will be solved because the burden on the family will be reduced. However, most of these dreams are far from reality. The chain of poverty has only worsened, leaving women with a double burden: seeking economic needs and taking care of the household.
Climate crisis worsens access to clean water
The photos and stories presented by Faradiva and Dito show how the climate crisis makes Reproductive Justice even further from the ideal. In a number of coastal villages in Donggala, about 2-3 hours from Palu, women’s safety is threatened when accessing clean water. They are often harassed when bathing in rivers or fetching water from wells.
Another Photovoice participant, Gilang, met a woman who struggles daily to access water for household use. To use the public toilet, she has to go to the river first. In fact, access to water becomes even more difficult due to the tidal floods that often hit the village.
The water in the house was not fit for consumption because it was murky and polluted. I was surprised to see the condition of the clean water reservoir referred to by Mrs. Apriani, which was very dirty and muddy. In her house, there is also no toilet, so for the purpose of MCK (Bathing, Washing and Toilet), Mrs. Apriani’s family must use the public toilet located not far from their house (Photo and narration by: Alif Nurul Yaqin)
For women in the village, unsafe water is a problem for their reproductive health. Some women complain experience vaginal discharge from using the water every day.
Multiple loads
The water crisis, exacerbated by the climate crisis, puts women under multiple burdens. Not only are they responsible for household chores such as childcare and cooking, they are also responsible for providing water for their families.
In Donggala District, women have to go to the next village to fulfill their family’s water needs. The water in her village is not suitable because it is mixed with sea water as a result of tidal flooding.
According to local government regulations, there should be no more people living in the red zone in Tompe Village, Sirenja Sub-District, Donggala, due to the earthquake and tidal floods. However, many residents still live in the red zone because they consider it closer to where they work as fishermen. Although some residents have moved to permanent housing, there are still some who stay in temporary housing.
The tap should be the source of life for every human being. However, the reality is that many ignore it. Many of the residents living in the red zone face problems with the availability of clean water. The water is rusty. Many women in Tompe Village have vaginal discharge problems. (Photo and narration by: Maydi Sogina)
These findings are only visual and through the eyes of young people. IPAS Foundation believes the impact of the climate crisis is much more. We continue to be committed from the grassroots to collaborating with local and national governments to strengthen reproductive health systems to make communities more resilient.
