Advancing Gender Justice and Disaster Resilience through Research at UIN Sunan Kalijaga

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia — Two interdisciplinary research teams from Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga have secured the highly competitive MoRA The Awakened and Indonesia Research (AIR) Funds 2025, positioning the university at the forefront of policy-relevant and socially impactful research supported by Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.

One flagship project, led by Prof. Euis Nurlaelawati, a leading scholar of Islamic Family Law, examines how mediators, lawyers, and expert witnesses shape access to justice in Indonesia’s Islamic courts, with a focus on gender equity and the protection of religious values. By analyzing real-world legal advocacy practices, the study aims to generate evidence-based insights to strengthen judicial decision-making and inform legal reform in family law cases.

“This funding enables us to move beyond doctrinal analysis toward understanding how justice is practiced on the ground,” Prof. Euis said. The project brings together senior scholars from UIN Sunan Kalijaga and external institutions, reinforcing cross-institutional collaboration and methodological rigor.

A second funded project, led by Dr. Astri Hanjarwati, addresses disaster risk reduction through media literacy rooted in local knowledge systems. The research seeks to enhance community resilience by translating indigenous wisdom into inclusive communication strategies that support national disaster management policies.

Both projects reflect the MoRA AIR Funds’ strategic objective: translating academic research into tangible policy, legal, and social outcomes. Institutional support from UIN Sunan Kalijaga’s Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) has been instrumental, providing structured mentoring that strengthens proposal quality, research governance, and impact pathways.

Together, these grants demonstrate how public research investment can generate measurable returns—advancing gender justice, strengthening legal institutions, enhancing disaster preparedness, and reinforcing the role of Islamic higher education in addressing contemporary global challenges.