Strengthening services for survivors of violence against women and children (KtPA) cannot be achieved solely through training for healthcare workers. The experience of the ARUNIKA Program (Empowered Women for a Violence-Free Indonesia) in Central Java demonstrates that improving service quality requires a comprehensive strengthening of the health system—from human resources and supporting infrastructure to service management.
The findings and lessons learned from the program were documented in two abstracts accepted for presentation at The First International Conference on Population and Family Development, hosted by the University of North Sumatra in Medan on July 16, 2026. The two abstracts are titled “How Does a Comprehensive and Targeted Health System Strengthening Model Improve Health Facilities’ Readiness to Provide Services for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence? A Health System Study in Three Regions in Central Java, Indonesia” and “Preventing Revictimization of Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: An Evaluation of Trauma-Informed Care Training for Health Workers.”
One of these abstracts discusses how a comprehensive health system strengthening model contributes to improving the readiness of health facilities to provide KtPA services. The analysis is based on the achievements and progress of 12 health facilities that received support through the ARUNIKA Program.
“At the start of the program’s implementation, out of 11 health facilities, only one was categorized as capable of providing KtPA services. Eleven months after receiving training, all health facilities were able to do so,” said Azmi Fadlillah, Health System Strengthening Field Officer for the ARUNIKA Program.
He added that these findings were the result of compiling various data sources, including site progress reports, service logbooks, results of supportive visits, and documentation of multi-stakeholder meetings involving health facilities and relevant stakeholders. These findings provide an overview of the progress made by health facilities in building their capacity to provide more responsive services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
“So at this conference, my presentation lasted eight minutes, followed by a two-minute Q&A session. There was also a discussion session with other presenters, such as those from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology and Padang State University,” he added.
Azmi added that documenting and publishing program outcomes plays a crucial role in enriching learning in the field of health systems. Experiences gained from implementation in the field often yield findings that can both complement and strengthen existing theories and approaches.
The ARUNIKA program is implemented in Semarang Regency, Surakarta City, and Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java. The program aims to improve access to comprehensive services for survivors of sexual exploitation. The program is carried out in partnership with the Government of Canada.