Canada Invests $14.8M in Cowater-led Initiative to Advance Equitable Healthcare Access for Women and Girls in Indonesia
Ottawa, May 20, 2025 – Cowater International is pleased to launch a new Global Affairs Canada-funded project aimed at improving equitable access to healthcare for marginalized and vulnerable women and girls in Indonesia.
The Strengthening Equitable Healthcare Access in Target regions (SEHAT) project will invest CAD 14.8 million over 7 years to address both the supply and demand barriers that women and girls face in accessing essential health services, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The project is being implemented in Central Sulawesi and Papua, two provinces where systemic inequalities, geographic isolation, natural disasters and entrenched social norms significantly hinder access to quality care.
Through SEHAT, Cowater and its local and national partners will work to strengthen the resilience of Indonesia’s health systems by improving the capacity of healthcare providers, administrators, and policymakers. In alignment with the World Health Organization’s Framework for Action on Health Systems Strengthening, the project will enhance four of the six core building blocks: health workforce, leadership and governance, service delivery, and health infrastructure, equipment and supplies.
At the same time, SEHAT will engage women, girls, and their communities to build demand for accessible, respectful, and evidence-based health services. Activities will include awareness campaigns, education on SRHR and decision-making, and initiatives to address harmful gender norms that limit access to care.
This holistic approach is designed to improve health outcomes and uphold the rights of women and girls in some of Indonesia’s most underserved regions.
SEHAT is part of Canada’s broader commitment to strengthening health systems and advancing gender equality across Asia, Africa and the Americas, as announced by Global Affairs Canada in February 2025. Through initiatives like SEHAT, Cowater continues to work alongside governments and communities to drive locally led, inclusive, and sustainable development.
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