COMPLETION REPORTA Comparative Study of Female Political Leaders' Initiative on Environmental Protection Policy inIndonesia and Japan: Case Study of Tri Rismaharini, Mayor of Surabaya and Yukiko Kada, Governorof Shiga Prefecture
Dr. Kurniawati Hastuti Dewi
Researcher
Research Center for Politics
Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI)This research project examined the two female political leaders’ initiative, Tri Rismaharini Mayor of Surabaya City inIndonesia (2010-2015) and Yukiko Kada Governor of Shiga Prefecture in Japan (2006-2014), on Environmental
Protection Policy in Indonesia and Japan to cope with the climate change. By using gender perspective, this research
positioned the two female as agent capable to initiate environment protection policy namely to deal with climate change
issues.
This research discovers that Risma and Kada’s commitment and initiatives on environment protection policy
have been primarily driven by their individual capital especially educational background rather than political party they
affiliated to. Interestingly, there is a different degree of gender influence behind Risma and Kada’s commitment onenvironmental protection in which Risma’s gender (motherhood) clearly shaped her attention on environment protection
policy when she perceives herself as the mother for the entire City. On the other hand, in Kada’s case, gender influence isin a weaker level because her expertise on water and agriculture preservation is more influential, despites the fact that she
rarely emphasized her gender in political discourse or campaign.
This research shows that Risma prioritized program on rejuvenating abandoned parks and land across Surabaya
City into green and comfortable area, and recycling waste with strong community based involvement model to deal withclimate changes problems. Meanwhile, Yukiko Kada prioritized a coexistence model between Lake Biwa, people, and its
surrounding nature (animals and plants) so that the effort to maintaining water quality of Lake Biwa and preservation of
the surrounding ecosystem is not merely an act of protection environment per se.
This research confirmed that Risma was able to integrate gender perspectives in rejuvenating abandoned parksin Surabaya City by giving wider spaces and portion to women to take strategic role in rejuvenating parks and recycling
waste, pays special attention to children’s and youth’s needs by providing many comfortable playgrounds in variousparks to support qualified growth. While Yukiko Kada had tremendous role in fostering a new approach of ‘coexistence’between Lake Biwa and people as well as its surrounding nature. This research confirmed that Risma’s programs hasdelivered positive impact to the city including quality of children health, strengthening economic capacity of women, andimproving awareness of men to caring the environment. Under Kada’s leadership, the preservation of Lake Biwa and its
surrounding area delivers positive effects such as the increasing quality of life, creating more community-based
environment protection movement, and therefore ensuring the sustainable quality of natural resource and ecosystem forthe sake of the future generation.

Publication of the Results of Research Project:
Verbal Presentation (Date, Venue, Name of Conference, Title of Presentation, Presenter, etc.)
Date: 30th October 2015, Sumbing Room, LARAS ATI Hotel & Spa Salatiga.
Name of Conference: the International seminar, workshop, and publication “Gender Equality and Ecological Justice(Ge2J) in Higher Education From Sustainable Development Perspectives (From Local Knowledge to International
Experience), UKSW Salatiga, 30-31 October 2015.
Title of presentation: Paper “Protecting Environment and Securing Power: Female Leaders’ Political Initiative in theAge of Climate Change in Indonesia and Japan”.

Presenter: Dr. Kurniawati Hastuti Dewi.
Thesis (Name of Journal and its Date, Title and Author of Thesis, etc.)

Book (Publisher and Date of the Book, Title and Author of the Book, etc.)
Article in Ecofeminism Book III (2016)