Indonesia’s deforestation and peatland clearing has made the nation one of the leading greenhouse gas emitters. In an effort to protect forests, the Indonesian government granted over 17,000 acres of forest land rights to Indigenous Indonesian communities. Delima Silalahi, a Batak woman from North Sumatra, is a leading figure in this movement. As the executive director of Kelompok Studi dan Pengembangan Prakarsa Masyarakat (the Community Initiative Study and Development Group), Silalahi has been working to protect these carbon-rich, biodiverse lands from industrial exploitation since 1999. Her work and dedication won her a Goldman Environmental Prize, or “Green Nobel,” in 2023. As a woman in the public eye, however, Silalahi faces stigma and gender-based discrimination from her community– a result of longstanding gender-based issues. Silalahi hopes not only to restore her land, but also to create more space for women to share their opinions.
