“Now I am Constantly Sick”: Environmental Degradation and the Impact on Toba Women’s Health after Land Conflict

Abstract

This article examines the intersection of land conflict, environmental degradation and women’s health in the context of Toba communities in Pandumaan-Sipituhuta, Indonesia, through a feminist political ecology lens. It explores how land dispossession exacerbates gender inequalities, particularly the disproportionate health impacts on women. The research shows how indigenous Toba women internalise and reinforce patriarchal expectations, taking personal responsibility for their health despite external socio-ecological factors. This manifests through monitoring within the community, internalised misogynistic judgements and expectations of health performance. At the same time, the women’s reliance on each other’s labour in agriculture fosters solidarity, where health and labour become deeply interconnected. The article highlights how these dynamics contribute to a gendered response to environmental change, with women bearing a disproportionate burden in both health and labour.