Papua Indigenous Women Advocate for Land and Forest Protection

At the PAPEDA Summit 2026 held in West Papua, Indonesia, the voices of indigenous communities, particularly women, have garnered attention. Barbalina Osok, a representative of the Moi indigenous people, raised issues concerning land and forest utilization that her community has faced for many years. The Moi people inhabit a vast area around Sorong Regency and Sorong City in Southwest Papua Province. According to Osok, logging concessions (HPH) began operating in the Moi customary lands in the early 1990s. While initially focused on timber, in recent years, parts of these areas have been converted into oil palm plantations. "These HPH permits have caused significant harm to the Moi indigenous community. The forests, which should be our source of livelihood and a living space passed down through generations, are being exploited without clear benefits returning to us, the rightful owners," Osok stated. She estimates that these permits have been in effect for decades and are expected to remain valid until around 2032–2033. This situation places the Moi indigenous community under pressure from changes in their land's landscape and the exploitation of its natural resources. For indigenous communities, development issues are not merely about investment and economic benefits; they are fundamentally about the extent to which they can participate as rights holders in decision-making processes concerning their land and natural resources. The PAPEDA Summit 2026 served as a platform for Papuan women like Osok to voice their concerns. The forum brought together the government, indigenous communities, civil society organizations, academics, the private sector, and development partners to discuss the direction of development in Papua. The voices of Papuan women striving to maintain land management and traditional agricultural practices offer important insights for considering sustainable development.