Tag: #RefugeeProtectionAndAssitance

YCWS and UNHCR Strengthen Coordination on Protection of Refugee in Indonesia

Yayasan Cita Wadah Swadaya, in collaboration with UNHCR, conducted a coordination meeting on the protection of refugee women and girls in Jakarta, Tuesday (9/12/2025). The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA), Offices of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (DP3A) and UPTD PPA from the Greater Jakarta area, Komnas Perempuan, the Women and Children Protection Unit (UPPA) of Bogor Regency Police, as well as civil society organizations. 

During the meeting, UNHCR highlighted several key barriers in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and child protection cases within refugee communities, including: 

1. Limited and inconsistent involvement of national and sub-national governments, child protection actors, and GBV service providers across different locations; 

1. The need for clear guidance from KemenPPPA to technical units (DP3A/UPTD PPA) to enable them to handle child protection and/or GBV cases involving refugees. Currently, there is confusion among technical units, with the assumption that such cases should be handled directly by KemenPPPA; and 

1. An increasing number of refugees in need of legal aid, case accompaniment, cash assistance, and access to safe houses, at a time when humanitarian funding is declining, resulting in reduced support capacity. 

The objectives of the coordination meeting were to: 

• Strengthen coordination and develop a shared understanding of mechanisms for handling child protection and GBV cases involving refugees in Indonesia; 

• Identify challenges and service gaps, and formulate next steps to improve access to protection services, including the integration of refugees into the national protection system; and 

• Encourage a more active and structured role of the government in managing child protection and GBV cases involving refugees, while strengthening the technical capacity of government institutions to deliver comprehensive responses. 

KemenPPPA acknowledged that Indonesia has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not yet have a refugee status determination system. Nevertheless, the Government of Indonesia remains committed to providing protection and support to refugees, as reflected in Presidential Regulation No. 125 of 2016, as well as existing national legal frameworks, including the Human Rights Law, the Child Protection Law, and the Law on the Crime of Sexual Violence (TPKS Law). 

KemenPPPA emphasized the importance of cross-ministerial obligations and continued coordination with relevant stakeholders to ensure that children in need of special protection are adequately supported. Women and children were highlighted as the most vulnerable groups in situations of forced displacement and at heightened risk of violence, exploitation, and abuse. 

The fulfilment of refugee children’s rights requires a multisectoral approach involving civil society organizations, as well as central and local governments, to ensure that their basic rights are upheld, that they are protected from violence and exploitation, and that they can access adequate services. These efforts should be aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), ensuring that the best interests of the child remain a primary consideration in all services and interventions for refugee children. 

The recent sinking of a boat carrying 70 Rohingya refugees near Malaysian waters is yet another reminder of how the region continues to fall short in protecting people fleeing humanitarian crises. Yayasan Cita Wadah Swadaya (YCWS), together with the Civil Society Network on Refugee and Asylum Seeker Issues in Indonesia, expresses deep concern and sympathy for the victims and calls for shared responsibility to strengthen refugee protection.

According to reports, the boat sank near the maritime border between Malaysia and Thailand shortly after departing from Rakhine State, Myanmar. At least 21 people have been confirmed dead, 13 survivors have been rescued, and dozens remain missing. Search and rescue teams continue to comb a wide area around Ko Tarutao, north of Langkawi Island, Malaysia.

Authorities believe that this incident is part of a larger movement involving as many as 300 people traveling on multiple boats. The tragedy underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis faced by Rohingya communities—and how dangerous sea routes have increasingly become their only available option.

This tragedy is far from isolated. Over the past year, more than 5,300 Rohingya refugees have attempted to leave Bangladesh and Myanmar by sea, with at least 600 reported missing or dead. Many of them are women and children, who remain the most exposed to violence, exploitation, and severe neglect during these journeys.

Indonesia is no stranger to such heartbreak. In March 2024, a boat capsized off the coast of West Aceh, killing 67 people, including 27 children. According to UNHCR, more than 1,000 Rohingya refugees are believed to have died or gone missing at sea between 2023 and 2024. Survivors often recount harrowing experiences of abuse, exploitation, and severe deprivation while at sea. Yet many continue their journeys—driven by fear, uncertainty, and the lack of any safe alternatives.

Many Rohingya families take these risks because they simply have no other choice. Conflict in Myanmar remains unresolved, refugee camps in Bangladesh are overcrowded and increasingly restrictive, and safe pathways are nearly non-existent. For many, the dangerous sea becomes a desperate last resort.

The civil society network urges governments in the region to share responsibility. Countries must strengthen cooperation, ensure non-discriminatory search-and-rescue operations, and establish safe, legal, and dignified pathways for those seeking protection. At the same time, resolving the political crisis in Myanmar is essential and cannot be delayed.

Without collective action, refugees will continue to risk their lives on perilous sea journeys—seeking nothing more than safety and hope.

Civil Society Network on Refugee and Asylum Seeker Issues in Indonesia:

1. Perkumpulan Suaka untuk Perlindungan Hak Pengungsi (SUAKA)
2. Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR)
3. Jesuit Refugee Service Indonesia (JRS Indonesia)
4. MER-C (Medical Emergency Rescue Committee)
5. Yayasan Kesehatan Perempuan (YKP)
6. Yayasan Kemanusiaan Madani Indonesia (YKMI)
7. Yayasan Cita Wadah Swadaya (YCWS)
8. Dompet Dhuafa
9. Yayasan Geutanyoe
10. KontraS Aceh
11. Human Rights Working Group (HRWG)