Farwiza Farhan, the guardian of the Leuser Ecosystem

HAkA works through the power of the people in the local communities, especially women, to defend their home. In a landmark case, HAkA helped secure a $26 million court fine against a company responsible for large-scale deforestation. Another victory halted a dam project that threatened key elephant corridors.

“On the ground, these palm oil companies seemed like the Leuser Ecosystem’s biggest and most powerful [enemy] actors—but if you zoom out just a little, you start to see that they are not as big as they appear, and if you zoom out even further, these companies are practically nobodies,” she says. “When we launched our campaign against the palm oil companies, global support poured and shone a light on the injustices and crimes they were committing. This exposed them for what they truly were, making them much smaller and less intimidating than they tried to appear. Powerful capitalist forces are trying to stop our work, but there are also strong forces of justice here and around the world. These have empowered us to hold these companies accountable.”

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HAkA’s work has not gone unnoticed. The foundation has received accolades such as the Whitley Award in 2016 and the Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award in 2021. In 2022, Farhan was featured on TIME magazine’s 100 Next list.

The environmentalist says that a key aspect of HAkA’s work is supplying the Indonesian government with critical environmental data, including identifying areas that must remain protected due to their importance as elephant corridors.

“We can hold the government accountable by monitoring their actions and keeping our communication lines open,” Farhan explains. For instance, when we monitor forest loss rates in Aceh and other areas, we don’t just publish the findings immediately. We first send a letter to the government: ‘Here’s what our data shows. We plan to publish this, and the press will contact you. If you want to challenge our data, let’s have that conversation publicly.’ This helps ensure that there is not much space for corruption to thrive.”

She continues, “It is incredibly important to protect the environment. At the end of the day, none of us can survive without the basic services that nature provides. We all need clean water, air, food, and good health. Whether we acknowledge it or not, the environment gives us all that.”

Farhan emphasises that we must not take nature for granted, as we often only recognise its actual value when it is no longer available. “Part of my life is spent in Aceh, and part of it in Jakarta. When I’m in Aceh, I often take for granted that I breathe clean air, but in Jakarta, I am constantly checking the air quality index, and if I want clean air, I have to buy an air purifier that comes with a price,” she says. “When something is functioning well, we tend to overlook it. But when it stops working, we realise how much we depend on it,” she adds.

See also: Eco-Warriors: Atty Angela Consuelo Ibay on finding the middle ground when defending the environment in court

Climate change disproportionately impacts women, as they are more vulnerable to climate-related events such as floods, landslides, and resource shortages. According to Farhan, these events often result in additional social and economic challenges for women, intensifying their vulnerability.

“I’m not saying that men aren’t affected by climate change—they are—but women face certain experiences that men may not fully understand,” she explains. “For example, during flash floods or landslides, communities may have to relocate to safer areas, but those ‘safer’ areas can be particularly challenging for women, especially if they can’t access safe, clean water during their period; it creates all kinds of health and social complications,” she adds. 

Women also face gender-based discrimination. Sharing her account, Farhan says that she often feels reluctant to engage with certain male figures in the government. “It’s because of how they treat me as a young woman. They might not comprehend the challenges I face. These are experiences men don’t go through in the same way they can’t always grasp the full extent of it.” 

Farhan says that protecting the environment is a duty and a right that must be bestowed upon men and women. “It’s our collective right to live in a healthy, sustainable world.” 

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Man-made activities continue to ravage the Leuser Ecosystem even after years of efforts to protect it. This is why for Farhan and HAkA, the call to action is much stronger, urgent, and relentless than ever. 

“I believe each of us has a duty and responsibility to contribute to something close to our hearts. For me, Aceh is that place. In Asia, I recognise that I cannot do this work alone, and I certainly don’t think I could solve the environmental and social challenges across Indonesia by myself,” she admits. “[But] countless others are working in favour of this sector—defending the environment and fighting for human rights—many of whom don’t have the same privileges I have. All I can do is share the platform I’ve been fortunate to have with others who are also fighting for change.” 

Farhan recalls an encounter with an indigenous woman from Ecuador who shared an insightful perspective. She explained that, to an outsider, the forest may seem like just a stretch of land filled with trees and bushes. But for the communities who live within it, the forest is everything—it is their life.

“The Leuser Ecosystem is a landscape that is incredibly close to my heart and it’s one I have been working to protect for the past decade. It’s the last place on Earth where the critically endangered megafauna (elephants, giraffes, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, and larger bovines) coexist,” she says.

She adds, “Every tree has medical properties, every plant has cultural significance, and every animal marks life on land. They can tell which animals are using a particular mound or which species have passed through a mud patch, creating a dynamic and interconnected ecosystem.”

In the coming years, Farhan promises to continue her efforts to protect the lush environment in Indonesia, advocating for stronger environmental policies and joining local communities to ensure long-term preservation. 

“For me, the Leuser Ecosystem is a living, breathing web of life that provides so much more than just habitat. It delivers critical ecosystem services such as clean water, fresh air, and livelihood for millions who depend on it.”

This article is part of Business of Good, a series that spotlights global leaders and how they meet the challenges of the modern world through innovation and impactful action. Find new stories every Wednesday on TatlerAsia.com.
 

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