From Baubau to Australia: Fanti Frida Yanti’s Journey of Advocacy and Transformation

Fanti Frida Yanti has been a transformative force in Baubau City, Buton Island, Southeast Sulawesi, where she serves as the Head of the Population Control and Family Planning Service (DPPKB). Her career reflects a commitment to community development, inclusivity, and sustainability.

Fanti has participated in three Short Courses under the Australia Awards program, which she credits as pivotal in shaping her career and expanding her impact.

"I wanted hands-on experience and to build a professional network by participating in these courses,” Fanti said. “I'm glad I gained a deeper understanding of my field and developed the skills necessary to excel in my role.”

A Foundation in Advocacy and Sustainable Tourism

Fanti began her career at Baubau City’s Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), working in the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection sector. In 2017, she was promoted to Head of Gender and Child Data Information Systems and Community Participation at the Department of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection. Her role involved extensive research and fostering community collaboration for gender equality and child protection.

That same year, she attended her first Australia Awards Short Course on Sustainable Tourism for Regional Growth at Griffith University. This program offered her valuable insights into sustainable tourism through hands-on learning and field visits.

"What excites me most is how Australian communities actively maintain and manage tourist attractions. Their collaboration is truly inspiring," Fanti recalled.

Upon her return to Baubau in 2018, Fanti launched the Baubau Creative Forum, bringing together local youth, artisans, and community leaders to promote sustainable tourism.

“This project is a community service effort,” Fanti explained. “We’ve involved people from different backgrounds, including volunteers and stakeholders like the Baubau Tourism Department.”

Advancing Inclusive Education

In 2018, Fanti turned her attention to inclusive education, motivated by the lack of awareness about its importance in smaller cities like Baubau.

“I was concerned that no one here—teachers or stakeholders—truly understood inclusive education. I wanted to raise awareness and promote its importance,” she shared.

In 2020, Fanti joined the Australia Awards Short Course on the Role of Disabled People’s Organisations in Policy Reform at the University of Sydney. As someone visually impaired in one eye, Fanti found the program personally and professionally relevant.

“That was my second time in Australia for a Short Course, and living in such an inclusive country was a memorable experience. I integrated my learnings into my Award Project,” she said.

Her Award Project focused on creating accessible educational media for hospitals to improve healthcare services for people with disabilities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We couldn’t do fieldwork due to the pandemic, so we concentrated on improving accessibility in healthcare. Our goal was to ensure all community members, including those with disabilities, could access the services they need,” Fanti noted.

Strengthening Gender Advocacy and Child-Friendly Policies

In 2022, Fanti enrolled in her third Australia Awards Short Course, “Gender Mainstreaming in the Public Sector”, at the University of Queensland. This program equipped her with advanced methodologies for advocating for gender equality and driving policy-level changes.

Parallel to the course, Fanti continued her research on creating child-friendly cities, an initiative project she had begun in 2019. This effort intensified after her return, leading to several initiatives to improve children’s welfare and protection in Baubau.

She launched school visits to educate junior and senior high school students about respectful communication with people with disabilities and to address the prevalence of bullying.

The roadshow was a response to rising inclusion issues, particularly bullying. Fanti and her team chose to engage students due to numerous bullying cases affecting not just students with disabilities but also those marginalised because of their parents' occupations.

"Children whose parents are sex workers, porters, or labourers often face systematic bullying. Our goal was to foster understanding and respect among students,” Fanti said.

Her advocacy work earned her a promotion to Secretary of the Department of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, a testament to her dedication and impact.

Drafting Baubau's Child-Friendly City Regulation

Fanti and her team have been driving efforts to formalise Baubau as a child-friendly city, an initiative aligned with Indonesia’s commitment to upholding children's rights across five key areas. Baubau has met these criteria, but Fanti aims to institutionalise these measures through local legislation.

In 2023, she collaborated with Bappeda and the regional secretariat’s legal department to propose a draft regulation for inclusion in the 2024 Regional Legislation Program (Prolegda). The draft is set to be reviewed and submitted to the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) by 2024.

"Our data shows a troubling increase in children in conflict with the law," Fanti revealed. “These children—whether offenders, victims, or witnesses—require extensive psychological support, which is currently lacking due to a shortage of counsellors and clinical psychologists.”

Fanti also highlighted the urgent need to combat child trafficking, advocating for preventive measures and more robust protections.

“From 2022 to 2024, we’ve seen recurring cases of child trafficking, sexual exploitation, and children being sent out of Baubau. This points to an organised effort that must be addressed,” she said.

A seminar in mid-2024 brought together regional government leaders to discuss the draft regulation and its implications. The seminar underscored the importance of coordinated efforts across all government offices to protect children's rights.

"We need active engagement from all stakeholders to make this vision a reality,” Fanti emphasised.

Empowering Communities Against Sexual Violence

In early 2024, Fanti was appointed Head of the Population Control and Family Planning Service in Baubau City, a role that allows her to integrate her advocacy work into broader community development programs.

Her recent Australia Awards Short Courses provided her with tools to manage and strengthen responses to violence against women and children.

"I learn how to develop effective educational campaigns to raise awareness and promote prevention," she said.

Together with fellow alumna Rahayu Yoseph Palus, Fanti is working on a research project to produce a documentary about survivors of sexual violence, particularly children and women. The documentary highlights these issues and advocates for legal reforms and support mechanisms for survivors. The project spans beyond Baubau, covering neighbouring regions to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue.

"We hope this documentary will educate the public and push for justice,” Fanti explained.  "We're optimistic about receiving grant funding to complete this important work.”