Thanks to our generous supporters, indigo foundation has been assisting local partners in marginalised communities across the globe for the past 24 years. This commitment has helped our partners make a real difference in the lives of women and girls worldwide.

I’m sure you’re alarmed by the high levels of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Australia. You will also know GBV is a problem throughout the world and has been a core focus for us and our community partners for many years.

Violence against women has devastating and far-reaching impacts throughout society. It not only destroys women’s well-being but impacts their families, their community, and the country at large. In Asia and the Pacific, rates of intimate partner violence surpass the global average of 27% with 75% of women in the region experiencing sexual harassment but rarely reporting, according to UN Women.

GBV is one of the most pressing human rights issues in Timor-Leste, with almost 67% of women having experienced intimate partner violence and more than 74% of women believing that a man is justified in physically beating his wife.

Programs that promote participation and leadership and improve safety have a multiplier effect on positive change as we’ve seen through the work of our community partners in Bougainville and Timor Leste.

Over many years of working with marginalised communities, we’ve learnt that a holistic approach works best. Our partners work on several fronts to tackle family and sexual violence and harassment, including providing counselling and safe places for women and their children, empowering women economically, supporting girls’ education, and engaging with men.

All these responses are vital. The Hako Women’s Collective (Hako) in Bougainville  and Juventude ba Dezenvolvimentu Nasional (JDN) in Timor Leste are both partnering with men as allies to end violence and discrimination against women and girls. They know we need men to be a part of the solution, by being positive role models, acting as agents of change and using their influence among peers. 

Hako, a 400 strong women’s collective, runs a 24/7 safe house, a resource centre and advocates for change in their community. They have long identified the importance of working with men as the primary perpetrators of violence. With the long-term funding indigo has committed to Hako, they will be able to educate male advocates and they have set up a new men’s hub, separate to the women’s shelter, that is addressing the need for men to change perceptions of women and their behaviour.

JDN, indigo’s most recent community partner, is a youth led organisation working on the issues most impacting their lives in Timor Leste’s capital Dili. They understand that GBV is not just a women’s issue – it is a human rights issue that affects everyone. Through their Sexual Harassment Activist Collective work, young women support each other to address sexual harassment in their lives and promote women’s safety. They engage young men to participate as “influencers”, who speak out against harmful practices, challenge sexism, and educate their peers. 

At indigo we’re committed to supporting more community partners in the Asia Pacific region to improve the safety, education and economic empowerment of women and girls. 

With your support today we hope to raise $65,000 to recommit another three years of funding to JDN as well as expand to new partnerships in our region.

For us to make this commitment, we urgently need your help to raise these funds by June 30. Core operational funding and a long-term commitment for local community groups can be difficult to raise via traditional donors. Yet it is precisely this support that will help build the sustainability and outreach of JDN.

indigo’s main point of difference to other international  development organisations is that we trust our community partners to best understand the needs of their communities and find the solutions to those issues. We are committed to backing their community development efforts and priorities.

Indigo has supported many women and children in some of the most marginalised communities across the world, but we urgently need your help to do even more. Please be a part of the change and help us reach our goal before June 30 so we can continue to make a difference in the lives of those most in need.