The seizure of people’s lands and properties continues to rise as a result of the expansion of oil, gas, and mineral mining in East Java. In the oil and gas sector, at least 63 Mining Work Areas (MWA) operate in East Java, 31 MWA with exploitation status, and 32 MWA with exploration status. Data collected through Korsup KPK (Koordinasi-Supervisi Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi/Coordination-Supervision of Corruption Eradication Commission) for Mineral and Coal Mining show the area of mining land in East Java has reached 551,649 hectares. It indicates a 535% increase within only 4 years.

The increasing amount of land needed for mining leads to the continued shrinking of people’s living spaces and potentially trigger soaring poverty rates. This situation continues to lead to the separation of many women’s groups from their living spaces (means of production, land, history, social relations, and ecology), and add new social burdens as the patriarchal system continues to persist.

“KAMI IBU BUMI (We Are Mother Earth)” project is designed to open women’s participation on environmental governance in East Java. This project includes the following activities:

(1) Jamboree of Women Lived-Space Fighters in order to encourage the establishment of a network and organisation in East Java;

(2) Strategic meeting of women’s groups with the district and provincial governments to encourage the strengthening of women’s leadership capacity in ensuring good governance and development with ecological and gender perspectives;

(3) Systematic Women’s Learning Class in order to create, consolidate and disseminate knowledge between women’s groups (community), NGOs and academics; and

(4) Making Documentary Film on Women and Mining in East Java to show women’s position, role and relationship to their lived-space and their struggle against mining industries expansion.

The emergence of awareness and commitment of the coastal women’s group in Nambangan-Surabaya to improve and develop the women’s cooperative which they are developing for the restoration of their economic life. 

It should be noted that after the success of the coastal residents of Nambangan-Surabaya in expelling the sand mining industry from their area, the Nambangan women’s group tried to develop a cooperative to avoid the economic trap of rent-seeking (loanlenders) which has been a problem for fishermen’s household economies. They then planted a cooperative movement that they developed under the name Independent Mother Group (KIM). This program was also supported by WALHI East Java at the beginning of its planning and development. 

Moreover, increased awareness of the Nambangan women’s group about the potential and threats of climate change. In addition to focusing on answering the daily economic problems of fishermen’s households through the development of cooperatives led by women’s groups, this round of women’s learning classes held with the support of Voice also targets critical dialogue about the threat of climate change. 

In terms of literacy and documentation, for most of the Nambangan women’s groups who are members of the Independent Mothers’ Group (KIM), the use of social media and smartphones as a means of struggle has become an important necessity. According to them, this was inspired by several women’s community movements which were considered quite popular, one of which was the struggle of the Kendeng women against the cement factory industry. 

According to them, social media and documentation (documentary films, photography) have become one of the mediums that encourage the Kendeng women’s movement to be well known to the public. 

In Lumajang, women’s groups understand how to manage alternative economic enterprises. They have  also started to produce local processed food products as an alternative form of economy. They also take a commitment to form women’s organizations that function to strengthen women’s capacities, especially in terms of alternative economic development. In terms of tourism, they encouraging local governments to make regulations related to tourism governance on Watu Pecak beach.