Gender Equality and Environmental Justice: Assessing Prospects and Challenge in Indonesia

Abstract The study of environmental justice has emerged as a critical response to the damaging effects of capitalism, especially in the context of lower-income countries such as Indonesia. Although this concept has transformative potential in addressing environmental inequality, the dimension of gender equality is often neglected, especially in patriarchal political systems dominated by oligarchies. Women are the group most affected by environmental damage caused by the exploitation of natural resources by extractive industries. This study aims to explore how the principle of gender equality is integrated into the discourse and practice of environmental justice, focusing on the Indonesian context. Using the literature study method, this research maps out the basic concepts of environmental justice and gender equality and their relationship in Indonesia’s regulatory framework and socio-political reality. The results of the study show that women are often marginalized both in terms of the distribution of environmental impacts and in terms of access to decision-making spaces. This inequality is exacerbated by social and institutional structures that maintain gender discrimination. On the other hand, the active participation of women in grassroots movements and the management of resources based on local wisdom has proven to have an important role in environmental protection. Therefore, a gender-sensitive approach to environmental justice is not only important for social justice but is also a key requirement for sustainable development. The substantive integration of a gender perspective in environmental policies and movements is key to realizing inclusive ecological justice in Indonesia.