Challenges to the Implementation of an International Donor-Funded Women's Empowerment Program in Post-Conflict, Post-Tsunami Aceh

Aceh is a culturally and politically unique province in Indonesia, distinguished by its special autonomy to implement Sharia Islam. After the prolonged conflict and the 2004 tsunami, international aid, primarily from UN agencies, Western states, and international NGOs, poured into Aceh. Among these programs was the Strengthening Access to Justice in Indonesia (SAJI), a program funded through the UNDP, which aimed to revitalize the Adat Justice court system and reform its implementation to empower women. While local women's rights activists and local government officials acknowledge the program’s benefits, this study identifies several key barriers. Most notably, the replacement of Aceh customary law experts with Sharia law academics in the Majelis Adat Aceh (MAA) has confused the legal foundation of Adat Justice. Combined with other challenges, this shift has limited the program's ability to sustain gains in women's access to and participation in Adat Justice, particularly in decision-making roles.