Fisherwomen and Climate Crisis in Indonesia
By 2100, over 410 million people worldwide could be at risk due to rising sea levels. Over the last decade alone, global sea levels have already increased by 10 cm. Among the nations most at risk is Indonesia, an archipelago with the world’s second-largest coastline, stretching over 99,000 km.
Indonesia’s coasts are vital to global food security, as the country is a leader in fisheries, with the highest number of marine and industrial fisheries in Southeast Asia. However, these critical marine resources are under severe threat from climate change.
Rising sea levels and harmful development practices endanger not only the environment but also the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities.
Women in coastal communities face multiple impacts of climate change, including reduced income, loss of space, health issues, water scarcity, threats to sexual and reproductive health, and rising gender-based violence. Amid these challenges, they also show daily resilience and resistance, highlighting the need for intersectional, gender-transformative adaptation policies.
This illustrated book “Tidal Floods: Women, Fisheries, and Climate Crisis in Indonesia” delves into the stories of Indonesia’s fisherwomen, exploring the intersections of gender, environmental change, activism, and the future of the country’s coastal regions.
An Illustrated Book Co-Created by Fisherwomen and Postgraduate Student in the School of Geography, University of Leeds.
This illustrated book, “Tidal Floods: Women, Fisheries, and the Climate Crisis in Indonesia,” is available in both English and Bahasa Indonesia. Download here.
The creation of this book was funded by the United Kingdom Research and Innovation as part of the GENERATE Project (Gender, Generation, and Climate Change: Creative Approaches to Building Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Cities in Uganda and Indonesia), University of Leeds. This book is developed based on research data conducted by Andi Misbahul Pratiwi (PhD Student, School of Geography, University of Leeds) in 2024. The research was conducted using the Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) method, involving 38 fisherwomen in coastal villages, Demak, Central Java, Indonesia.
Zine and Creative Celebration of the Fisherwomen’s Movement in Indonesia
This zine is the result of a powerful collaboration between Puspita Bahari and the University of Leeds, uniting fisherwomen, researchers, and artists to amplify impactful stories of resilience, leadership, and community-driven change.
Puspita Bahari, a fisherwomen’s community in Demak Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia. They were founded in 2005 with the spirit of empowering fisherwomen and helping them improve their welfare and escape and break the chains of patriarchal culture. Puspita Bahari was born as an oasis amid the strong patriarchal culture in coastal communities and to challenge the continued dominance of masculinity within the fisherfolk movement in Indonesia.
Through this zine, we bring to life the voices and experiences of fisherwomen navigating the challenges of climate change while showcasing innovative, community-led, and transformative practices. This creative celebration is more than a publication—it is a feminist act of documenting women’s knowledge, power, and leadership for a local, national, global audience, inspiring change and igniting hope.
Together, we celebrate the strength of Indonesia’s fisherwomen and their vital role in shaping a sustainable and equitable future.
This Zine is available in both English and Bahasa Indonesia. Download here:
The creation of this Zine was funded by the United Kingdom Research and Innovation as part of the GENERATE Project (Gender, Generation, and Climate Change: Creative Approaches to Building Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Cities in Uganda and Indonesia), University of Leeds. This Zine is developed based on research data conducted by Andi Misbahul Pratiwi (PhD Student, School of Geography, University of Leeds) in 2024. The research was conducted using the Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) method, involving 38 fisherwomen in coastal villages, Demak, Central Java, Indonesia.