In the SMILE (2020) program supported by Voice Indonesia, four (4) elders communities have succeeded in standing up, carrying out collective activities and seeking advocacy for the elderly without ID cards. One of the major achievements of the SMILE program is the success of cis women and transwomen elders defenders in expressing their ideas and thoughts in the elderly story book “Keep Stepping”. The ideas and thoughts of the elderly in the book “Continue to Step” have received a positive response from various groups, both from the young community in Indonesia and even from local authorities (Gunungkidul Regency Government). Of course this can be a reinforcement for future collaborations.

The valuable experience in the SMILE program, namely the aspects of togetherness and acceptance, emerged very strongly in the work of the elderly community. From our documentation, we learn that mutually reinforcing cooperation between the transwomen and cis women elders is a sign that togetherness in campaigning and fighting for the rights of the elderly is very achievable and can be developed in the future.

The protection of the rights of the elderly through the role of the elderly defender and the elderly community in the SMILE program can certainly underlie efforts to expand and improve the protection of the rights of the elderly. In order to be able to reach more, even to the elderly who are not members of the elderly community. For this reason, Erat Indonesia proposed a scale up program, which aims to provide a safer, easier and more affordable space and increasing the accessibility of the vulnerable elderly to direct assistance, advocacy, social support and care support for the transwomen and cis women elders who live alone (solitary).

The Senior Support Center (SSC) will focus on transwomen older adults who are vulnerable, by it means the majority of transwomen older adults have lived through discrimination, social stigma, and the effects of prejudice both past and present,
including a history of being labeled as criminals, sinners, and mentally ill. As the first step, we plan to build a safe space for the elderly with high vulnerability and low support from the society and the government. The Senior Support Center (SSC) will be run by involving experts to support strengthening in the legal/advocacy and gerontology as well as the geriatric aspects. However, the main key actors of the Senior Support Center (SSC) are the elderly defenders who are based in the community of transwomen and cis women older adults.

The leadership and especially the role of the elderly defender in the Senior Support Center (SSC) is based on the understanding that the problems of the elderly cannot be approached only with a formal and thematic approach. However, it is very dependent on building trust based on equality of experience, acceptance of the value of life and other cultural aspects. So the role of the elderly defender becomes very irreplaceable. The Senior Support Center (SSC) program will be implemented for 24 months. Furthermore, the main activities in this Senior Support Center program are 1) Training & Workshop; 2) Structuring & systematizing support work, providing assistance and advocacy for the elderly in SSC; 3) Knowledge Building as a collaborative work for the elderly and supporting the elderly; 4) Strengthening collaboration between institutions and across generations.

We hope that the Senior Support Center (SSC) program can produce positive benefits for the protection of the rights of the elderly, which is marked by the active Hot-line for the transwomen and women older adult which can be easily and safely accessed by them. The presence of a quick-response team in collecting data, reaching out and providing support to vulnerable elderly people, which goes hand in hand with the management of Hot-line information is well available.

We hope that the Senior Support Center (SSC) program will strengthen support and collaboration between experts in strengthening and protecting the elderly, transwomen women & women. This includes encouraging discussion and collaboration in an effort to realize the presence of the Elderly Transwomen Shelter in Yogyakarta. The development of guidelines for assisting vulnerable elderly people will also be one of the outputs of the Senior Support Center (SSC) program, which is expected to provide guidance for mentoring that is participatory, healthy, humane and upholds the dignity of the elderly.

The changes we expect from this program are strengthening advocacy movements, increasing the intensity and quality of movements to protect the rights of the elderly, as well as increasing support and facilitation/assistance for the transwomen and women older adult and also other high vulnerable elders. The direct benefit of this project is the presence of a structure that is specifically able to provide feedback and support that is easily accessible to the elderly, especially transwomen and women older adults.

Safe Spaces, Stronger Voices: Protecting the Rights of Vulnerable Elderly in Indonesia

Aging is often associated with vulnerability, but for many elderly trans women and solitary elderly women in Indonesia, this vulnerability is compounded by discrimination, social isolation, and lack of access to basic services. The Senior Support Center (SSC) program, led by ERAT Indonesia, was created to change this reality—providing safe spaces, advocacy, and direct support for some of the country’s most marginalized elderly populations.

Over the past 26 months, SSC has grown into a powerful network of care, empowerment, and advocacy, proving that aging with dignity is a right, not a privilege.

Creating Safe Spaces for the Elderly

ERAT Indonesia established two Senior Support Centers (SSC):

• SSC Teratai in Yogyakarta, dedicated to elderly trans women, providing temporary shelter, healthcare support, and a community space where they can access legal and psychological assistance.
• SSC Megarsore in Gunungkidul, focused on solitary elderly women in rural areas, ensuring they receive essential services such as identity cards, social security, and healthcare through policy advocacy and community mobilization.

These centers became more than just physical spaces… they became hubs of solidarity and activism, where rightsholders could reclaim their rights, connect with others, and push for systemic change.

Breaking Barriers Through Advocacy and Policy Change

Beyond offering direct support, the project worked to shift institutional policies that often neglect the needs of elderly trans women and solitary seniors. SSC’s advocacy led to:

• Collaboration with the BPJS Health Insurance Agency, ensuring that elderly individuals whose social security cards were inactive could regain access to healthcare services.
• Formal commitments from local government agencies to improve services for vulnerable elderly people, including a pledge to develop an elderly-friendly community policy in Gunungkidul.
• Stronger intergenerational connections, where young volunteers and housewives were trained to support elderly communities, breaking cycles of neglect and isolation.

By combining legal advocacy with grassroots mobilization, SSC succeeded in ensuring that rightsholders were no longer invisible to policymakers.

Lessons Learned: Overcoming Challenges Together

Running two Senior Support Centers with different rightsholder groups presented significant challenges. In urban areas, elderly trans women faced ongoing stigma and housing insecurity, while in rural settings, solitary elderly women struggled with bureaucratic barriers to essential services.

A few key lessons emerged:

• Building local leadership is essential. Many volunteers had no prior organizational experience, highlighting the need for continuous training and mentorship.
• Advocacy must be backed by data. Collecting and documenting cases of elderly rights violations helped strengthen policy advocacy efforts.
• Intergenerational solidarity works. Pairing elderly communities with younger volunteers and housewives created sustainable support networks, reinforcing that aging with dignity is a collective responsibility.

What’s Next? Sustaining the Movement for Elderly Rights

The Senior Support Center program has built a strong foundation for advocacy and care, but the work is far from over. ERAT Indonesia is now:

• Expanding collaborations with universities, ensuring that students engage in research and advocacy for elderly rights.
• Scaling up its safe space model, working towards the establishment of a permanent nursing home for elderly trans women.
• Continuing its policy advocacy, pushing for nationwide adoption of elderly-friendly community initiatives.

By centering community-driven solutions and policy engagement, the SSC program has proven that when rightsholders lead, real change happens. The journey to a more inclusive future for elderly individuals in Indonesiacontinues, ensuring that no one grows old alone or unheard.