Aceh – Indonesia, Twenty-one years after the signing of the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the story of women striving for and nurturing peace in Aceh is once again brought to light through the documentary film Inong Peudame: Together, We Were Brave.
The documentary Inong Peudame was produced by UN Women Indonesia in collaboration with AMAN Indonesia and the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs (Kemenko PMK) to highlight the experiences and contributions of women to the peace process in Aceh.
The 26-minute film features 12 figures, including women activists, survivors, community leaders, and grassroot women’s groups in Aceh, who share their experiences and reflections on Aceh’s peace process. Their stories showcase the trace of women’s courage and collective strength, as well as their vital role in reinforcing community resilience during conflict and post-conflict periods.
“The documentary demonstrates how the peace process in Aceh was largely led by women. Female leaders continuously voiced peace, initiated dialogue in various spaces, and demanded safe spaces so women could go about their lives peacefully and without fear. This peace must continue to be passed down to future generations and maintained by all parties,” said Umi Hanisah, founder and leader of Pesantren Diniyah Dayah Darussalam, who is also one of the contributors to the Inong Peudame documentary.
“Today, we are not only launching a documentary. We are also honoring the women whose stories live within it, as well as many other women who may never appear on screen, but whose contributions have shaped the peace journey we enjoy together today. We hope this film will also be useful in opening up more discussions for learning and creating new opportunities for empowerment and equality work for all,” said Yulies Puspitaningtyas, Programme Manager for Governance, Peace and Resilience.
“The screening of Inong Peudame is crucial to bring back the voices and experiences of Acehnese women who have been a key part of the peace journey, yet have not always been featured in mainstream historical narratives. We hope their genuine footsteps serve as a lesson for Aceh and Indonesia that women are not merely victims, but also peace and security actors who have been nurturing peace and driving change from within their communities,” expressed Ghufron, IDEA Manager at AMAN Indonesia.
Linking peace experiences to disaster resilience
The launch of the film Inong Peudame took place today in Aceh Besar and was followed by a policy dialogue titled “Women’s Leadership for Peace, Humanitarian Action, and a Resilient Aceh”. The policy dialogue, moderated by Dr. Rasyidah, S.Ag., M.Ag, Chair of the Presidium of Balai Syura, discussed lessons learned from the experiences of Acehnese women and their connection to the implementation and localization of the National Action Plan for the Protection and Empowerment of Women and Children in Social Conflicts (RAN P3AKS) 2026–2029, which is currently being finalized, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, and the strengthening of community resilience through the national flagship program KITA TANGGUH initiated by the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs (Kemenko PMK).
“Within the framework of the flagship program KITA TANGGUH, Kemenko PMK continues to promote stronger cross-sector collaboration and inclusive community resilience. Lessons from Acehnese women can make a vital contribution to these efforts, particularly in strengthening community-based preparedness, protection systems, the use of data disaggregated by sex, age, and disability, as well as mechanisms that ensure community voices help determine the direction of recovery,” said Dr. Lilik Kurniawan ST., MsI, Deputy for Coordination of Disaster Management and Social Conflict.
The policy dialogue also highlighted the link between the WPS agenda and disaster risk reduction, including examining it within the context of recovery following the flash floods and landslides in Aceh and several areas in Sumatra in late November 2025. The policy dialogue and film screening were attended by a wide range of stakeholders – central and local government representatives, civil society organizations, youth groups, experts, and development partners.
Expanding the reach through networked screenings
Women’s groups, civil society networks, and film contributors are invited to organize community screenings within their respective circles from October 1 to 19, 2026. These screenings serve as a platform to extend the film’s reach, spark conversations, build networks, preserve collective memory on the role of women in peace and security in Aceh, and pass those lessons on to future generations. Participating groups are also invited to share their reviews and reflections on their organization’s social media channels.
The Inong Peudame documentary can be viewed at the following link: https://bit.ly/inongpeudame