Women’s Leadership, Local Wisdom and Household Resilience during Multiple Crisis (Tsunami, Conflict, Pandemic) in Ambon, Indonesia

Abstract

Women’s leadership is critical to disaster resilience, yet its role in compound crises remains underexplored. This study examines how women in Ambon, Indonesia, strengthened community resilience through three consecutive crises: the 1999 social conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the continuing tsunami threat. Using a descriptive qualitative design, we conducted in-depth interviews with 19 women leaders and applied thematic analysis informed by social capital (bonding, bridging, linking) and resilience capacities (absorptive, adaptive, transformative). Findings show that women safeguarded families and mediated peace during the conflict, sustained household economies and psychosocial support during the pandemic, and led evacuation and low-tech early-warning initiatives in response to tsunami risk. By activating social capital, drawing on local wisdom such as pela gandong, and fostering adaptive innovations, Ambonese women built multi-layered resilience that bridges domestic and public spheres. These results underscore the importance of integrating women’s leadership and intersectional perspectives into disaster-risk governance to foster long-term, transformative capacity in island regions facing recurrent, overlapping hazards.