Bogor City, Thursday, January 8, 2026 – The second day of the GREEN for Riau Initiative (GREEN Riau) Work Plan Harmonization Workshop began with an emphasis on the importance of social safeguards, stakeholder engagement, and the application of principles of equity and inclusivity in environmental and carbon programs.
The workshop, opened with a game by the facilitator, Mr. Thomas Oni Veriasa, and was followed by presentations of the work plan by the technical consultants: Stakeholder Engagement and Community Development, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, Social Forestry, Budget Tagging, and F-GRM consultant.
The event was enriched by a presentation by Efrain Muharrom, Safeguards Expert from the UN-REDD Programme, who shared his experiences on REDD+ and Safeguards implementation in East Kalimantan and Jambi, as well as global experiences in Safeguards implementation. The presentation covered various aspects developed in the Safeguards Guidance. The discussion emphasized the importance of inclusive and participatory stakeholder engagement, particularly by involving indigenous peoples and local communities as key actors from the planning stage.
The presentation emphasized that the program's success is not limited to outreach alone, but also depends on the proper implementation of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). This process includes comprehensive stakeholder mapping, community capacity building, equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms, and conflict prevention and resolution. The discussion also highlighted the importance of building trust, a sense of ownership, communication that is easily understood by grassroots communities, and long-term partnerships between the government, communities, the private sector, and other relevant parties, given the limited timeframe for program implementation.
Muhammad Syukur from the Penabulu Foundation explained Penabulu's role as an Intermediary Institution in the implementation of the GCF Output 2 REDD+ RBP Program in Riau Province, which focuses on sustainable forest management, forest and land rehabilitation, and community empowerment. He also stated that the program's implementation will be aligned with GREEN for Riau activities, given that several activities share similar objectives and outputs, thus mutually reinforcing program achievements.
Entering the afternoon session, activities focused on training on Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) by Dzul Afifah Arifin, M.Sc., who is also a technical consultant for G4RI on GEDSI. The session began with a pre-test and interactive discussion to ensure participants' understanding. The resource person emphasized that GEDSI is not simply about fulfilling donor requirements, but rather a development approach that needs to be implemented in daily practice to ensure the principle of "no one left behind."
Data presented in Riau Province showed that gender inequality remains quite high, particularly in labor participation, women's political representation, and reproductive health issues. This inequality is influenced by structural, social, cultural, and religious factors. The training then clearly differentiated between sex (biological) and gender (social roles), and explained the differences between equality, equity, and social inclusion through concrete examples.
It was emphasized that equal distribution of resources is not necessarily fair. Therefore, a needs-based approach (equity) and the removal of structural barriers are necessary to enable all groups to participate meaningfully (social inclusion). The discussion also addressed gender stereotypes, marginalization, and the invisible burden of work, particularly women's domestic workload, which is often unrecognized economically and contributes to injustice.
The GEDSI session also discussed the importance of implementing APKM (Access, Participation, Control, and Benefits), the use of disaggregated data (based on gender, age, and disability), and qualitative reporting that emphasizes the quality of participation, not simply meeting quotas. Participants were also introduced to affirmative action strategies to close capacity gaps, as well as transformative approaches through policy and institutional change. The Q&A session was highly interactive, marked by numerous questions and high enthusiasm from the participants.
Furthermore, the workshop was divided into three working groups, expected to strengthen the synchronization of the G4RI work plan thematically, while ensuring that all technical input is integrated effectively and inclusively. Through more focused discussions, a collaborative approach between consultants and stakeholders is expected to produce a work plan that is responsive to GEDSI principles, social protection, and community needs at the grassroots level, as a foundation for sustainable program implementation.