Displaced Indigenous women bear the brunt of Indonesia’s capital city project | East Asia Forum

Indonesia’s future capital city Nusantara is touted as a model of sustainable development and a symbol of national progress. But it also poses a threat to indigenous communities, particularly the Balik people, who rely on the land for their livelihoods and cultural survival. 

While the Indonesian government has pledged to respect indigenous rights, concerns remain about the credibility of such promises. At the heart of the issue lies the question of land. The Nusantara Capital City project (often referred to using its Indonesian acronym, IKN) encompasses a vast expanse of land, much of which is claimed under customary law by Indigenous communities. The process of land acquisition has been marred by allegations of intimidation, coercion and lack of transparency, leaving indigenous communities with little recourse to challenge the state’s claims. 

Another critical issue is the potential for land grabbing, which often occurs in manipulative situations, as experienced by indigenous Balik women. This situation is also accompanied by inadequate compensation for displaced communities. For indigenous women, this land grab represents not just a loss of property but a severance from their cultural and spiritual heritage. Indigenous women’s connection to the land is crucial for identity and wellbeing, but displacement disrupts social networks, undermines governance and erodes indigenous knowledge transmission.

The IKN project also poses significant environmental risks. Deforestation — driven by land clearing for infrastructure and urban development — threatens biodiversity-rich ecosystems, disrupts water cycles and exacerbates climate change. These are the inevitable consequences of large-scale infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive areas. For the indigenous women, who used to hold knowledge of the forest and its resources, such ecological destruction represents a profound loss. Traditional medicine, food sources and materials used for weaving and craft production, such as rattan, are all under threat. 

The livelihoods of the women of the Balik indigenous community depend on harvesting nipa palm. But their traditional activities have been disrupted by the construction of the Sepaku Intake Dam, which is intended to become one of the primary water sources for IKN residents. The Sepaku River is a significant site for the Balik group, one of the traditional communities that rely heavily on the river for their livelihoods.

These traditional forest crops, once harvested by indigenous communities, have slowly been diminished due to the province’s vast expansion of logging and oil palm. Displacement from ancestral lands caused by the IKN project disrupts knowledge transmission, as younger generations are cut off from the environments and practices that have sustained their communities for centuries. Existing power imbalances and discriminatory attitudes within development policy towards Indigenous communities also often prevent indigenous women from accessing justice and seeking redress for violence. The lack of culturally sensitive services and legal mechanisms may compound their vulnerability.

A recurring theme throughout the development of IKN has been the need for more meaningful consultation and participation of indigenous communities, particularly women. Despite constitutional provisions recognising the rights of indigenous peoples, the Indonesian government has often prioritised economic development over the rights and wellbeing of marginalised communities. Indigenous women — often excluded from formal decision-making processes — find their voices silenced once again, and their concerns dismissed. 

The IKN Law, specifically Article 37 — which addresses community participation in managing the new capital — needs clear regulations for engaging diverse communities or capturing the aspirations of indigenous communities, particularly women. The law does not stipulate whether indigenous communities and women have a formal and designated place within the governmental institutions of IKN. The 2023 revisions to the IKN Law do not address these aspects and instead focus solely on facilitating investment, which often leads to the violation of indigenous communities’ rights.

Failing to recognise and integrate the traditional indigenous governance structure — in which women play significant roles in land management and decision-making — marginalises their voices and perpetuates power imbalances. The challenges faced by Indigenous women in the IKN project are not isolated incidents but symptomatic of a larger pattern of dispossession, marginalisation and environmental destruction that has characterised Indonesia’s development trajectory. Addressing these injustices requires a fundamental shift in approach towards prioritising human rights, environmental sustainability and the meaningful participation of indigenous communities, particularly women.

The Indonesian government must take concrete steps to protect indigenous land rights, including customary land tenure systems and ensuring free, prior and informed consent for development projects impacting indigenous lands. Investing in culturally appropriate education, healthcare and economic opportunities that empower indigenous women and enable their full participation in decision-making is crucial. 

The IKN development presents an opportunity for Indonesia to chart a new course that prioritises social justice, environmental sustainability and indigenous rights. Achieving this vision requires acknowledging the disproportionate burden borne by indigenous women and ensuring their voices are heard, their rights respected and their futures secured.

Irine Hiraswari Gayatri holds a PhD from the Gender, Peace and Security (GPS) Centre, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University and is Senior Researcher at the Research Centre for Politics, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia.

Dini Suryani holds a Master of Asia-Pacific Studies from The Australian National University and is Junior Researcher at the Research Centre for Politics, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia.