The Institute of International Studies (IIS), Department of International Relations, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), organized an enumerator training on Tuesday, August 26. This activity is part of a two-year research project titled Connect, Defend, and Act! (CDA), initiated by Hivos and the Humanis Foundation, with support from Norad – Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.
The training was designed to equip enumerators with skills in data collection, coding techniques, and interview methods to monitor the condition of civic space and democracy in Indonesia. The sessions were delivered by Daniel Petz and Nadya Zafira, both experienced in research on civil society and human rights issues.
Through the CDA project, IIS UGM reaffirms its commitment to actively assess how civil society actors can push back against the shrinking of civic space. With this enumerator training, the data collected is expected to serve as a critical foundation for democracy advocacy and the protection of civil liberties in Indonesia.
Currently, Indonesia’s civic space is seen as facing significant contraction, heightening the vulnerability of civil freedoms. IIS UGM therefore stresses the importance of collective efforts to safeguard democratic space and strengthen the capacity of civil society to remain resilient amid political and democratic shifts in the future.
Relevant SDGs (Integrated in the Narrative)
This initiative strongly relates to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
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SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: by monitoring and safeguarding civic space, ensuring democratic accountability, and protecting human rights.
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SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: by fostering collaboration between academia, NGOs, and international institutions to strengthen civil society resilience.
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SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: by empowering marginalized voices within civil society to participate in democratic processes.