Depok, 06 February 2025 - Climate change is not just an environmental threat, but also a real threat to our health, especially for women. As the primary carers of families and custodians of communities, women are often the most affected. For this reason, the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Indonesia (FoN UI) held a public discussion as well as an online dissemination of research results that aims to raise important issues about the health impacts of climate change, and how women's empowerment can be the main solution in mitigating its impact.

One of the main reasons why women should be at the forefront of mitigating the health impacts of climate change is their central role in families and communities. As caregivers, women are more involved in activities related to family health, ranging from taking care of children, caring for parents, to keeping the house and environment clean. In addition, women in many areas, both urban and rural, are often closer to natural resources and the well-being of their communities. Therefore, women have great potential to influence daily habits that can reduce the adverse health impacts of climate change.

This research is part of FoN UI's collaboration with Monash University and the University of Melbourne since August 2023, which was conducted with funding support from the KONEKSI Research Grant Pilot. The research, which focuses on the role of women in dealing with the health impacts of climate change, is chaired by Ns. Suryane Sulistiana Susanti, S.Kep., M.A., PhD, with an Indonesian research team consisting of Ns. Rona Cahyantari Merduaty, S.Kep., M.AdvN., Ns. Indah Permata Sari, M.Kep., Sp.Kep.Kom., and Dessie Wanda, Ph.D. The collaboration also involved A/Prof. Zerina Lokmic-Tomkins, PhD from Monash University and A/Prof. Ann Borda, PhD from the University of Melbourne.

Dean of FoN UI, Prof. Dr. Rr. Tutik Sri Hariyati, S.Kp., MARS, FISQua, CHAE, expressed her gratitude for the collaboration between Indonesian and international researchers in addressing the issue of global climate change. ‘This research not only highlights the direct impacts of climate change, but also shows the crucial role that women can play in mitigating these impacts. As health professionals and leaders in society, it is our duty to empower women with the necessary skills and knowledge to face this challenge and ensure the well-being of future generations,’ she emphasised.

One of the key findings of this research is that climate change is fuelling natural disasters, such as tidal flooding, which is damaging the environment and increasing the risk of dangerous diseases. Tidal flooding not only causes physical damage, but also triggers skin infections, fever, respiratory problems and even extreme fatigue. Furthermore, women who care for their families often struggle more to ensure the health of their families after disasters, making them the most vulnerable to these health impacts.

While many women already understand the importance of contributing to climate change mitigation, such as through tree planting or waste management, many of them do not know the concrete steps they can take. This is due to the lack of clear technical guidance from authorities that can be applied in everyday life.

The research also found effective solutions to address these issues, which are expected to strengthen women's role in mitigating the health impacts of climate change:

·    Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Waste Management: Women are empowered to more actively manage waste in households and communities, reducing potential hazards from pollution and waste, which can have a direct impact on their health.

·  Education on Climate Change and Health: A comprehensive education programme is essential to provide women with technical knowledge related to climate change and how to protect their family's health. For example, identifying signs of illness after a disaster or how to minimise the health impacts of natural disasters.

·  Sustainable Economic Empowerment Training: One emerging solution is to empower women to create a sustainability-based economy. By engaging them in climate-friendly agriculture or wise management of natural resources, women can improve the economic resilience of their families while playing an active role in protecting the environment.

·    Life Cycle Based Health Cadre Training: In order for women to be better equipped to take care of family health, training of health cadres according to the human life cycle is needed. This training includes knowledge on how climate change affects health across the lifespan, from children to the elderly.

These measures can strengthen women's capacity to cope with the impacts of climate change and increase the resilience of families and communities to disasters. However, to do so, they need support from various parties, especially the government, which must be more proactive in providing the education and resources needed.

The research also emphasised the importance of international collaboration. Collaboration with Monash University and the University of Melbourne brought new insights into mitigation strategies that have been implemented in Australia, which could be adapted in Indonesia. Funding from the KONEKSI Research Grant Pilot also demonstrates a real commitment from the Australian government to support climate change mitigation efforts in Indonesia.

In this public discussion, the head of the research team, Ms Ns. Suryane Sulistiana Susanti, S.Kep., M.A., PhD, emphasised that climate change not only affects urban communities, but also rural communities who often have limited access to information and resources. Many disasters such as tidal floods and droughts are not well identified as a result of climate change.

Through this discussion, it is hoped that the public will become more aware of the importance of collective action in the face of climate change, as well as encourage the government to be more active in mitigation and provide more support for women to face this great challenge.

The Faculty of Nursing, University of Indonesia (FoN UI) is an educational institution committed to developing knowledge and skills in nursing and playing an active role in research relevant to global health issues. FoN UI also collaborates with various international institutions in an effort to find sustainable solutions related to the impacts of climate change faced by Indonesian society.

Through the steps suggested, women can become real agents of change in strengthening the resilience of families and communities to the impacts of climate change. With the right empowerment, women can not only keep their families healthy, but also lead the way to a healthier and more sustainable environment.