Empowering Youth in Indonesia: Building Change from the Ground Up Through a Sustainable District-Level Strategy in RHRN2

Empowering Youth in Indonesia: Building Change from the Ground Up Through a Sustainable District-Level Strategy in RHRN2

News
January 15, 2025

In Indonesia, a transformative RHRN2 youth movement is making waves through KOMIK (Komunitas Orang Muda Inklusif), an inclusive youth community founded just two years ago. At its core lies a sustainability strategy rooted in capacity building—equipping young people with the tools and skills to lead, advocate, and create meaningful change in their communities.

Through KOMIK’s programs, youth are trained in SRHR, leadership, social media advocacy, MIYP and GTA. This effort doesn't just prepare them to participate in local initiatives—they empower them to lead. The ripple effect of these capacity-building efforts is evident across Indonesia, with young people independently championing progressive causes in their districts.

While there is potential to expand this movement nationally, the strategy has deliberately focused on district-level advocacy. Indonesia’s vast geography and cultural diversity mean that localized approaches are more impactful and sustainable. District-level movements allow young leaders to address specific local issues with tailored solutions, ensuring relevance and community engagement. Moreover, these localized initiatives empower youth in East Java and South Sumatera to form closer connections with district governments and local cso, enabling successful advocacy for structural changes, such as budget allocations for PIK-R (youth-friendly services). By embedding leadership and action at the district level, the movement prioritizes depth over breadth, ensuring sustainable change from the ground up.

A cornerstone of this sustainable model is its focus on institutional change. Youth advocates have successfully lobbied district governments to allocate budgets for PIK-R. Not only is this funding a testament to their influence, but the management of these services has been entrusted entirely to young leaders, ensuring both ownership and continuity of the initiatives. 

But the impact goes beyond policy. In schools, young advocates (CIKAL) are taking charge, leading discussions on sensitive topics like bullying and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). They are creating safe spaces for peers to voice concerns and fostering a culture of accountability and courage. In marginalized gender communities, they’ve established support networks, facilitating regular discussions that build resilience and inclusion.

By embedding leadership at the grassroots and prioritizing youth-led solutions, this movement is creating a sustainable framework for change. KOMIK’s story is proof that when young people are empowered, their actions ripple across communities, laying the foundation for systemic and long-term transformation.

 

Nenan Angenani Titis (Programme Officer YSGI, Indonesia)