Dr. Martina Novalina is a lecturer and Vice Dean for Research and Publication at STT Ekumene Jakarta, Indonesia. She holds a Doctor of Theology degree from Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Bethel Indonesia and has extensive experience in theological education, pastoral ministry, counselling, academic leadership, research, and scholarly publishing. She has authored and co-authored numerous international and national publications addressing Christian education, theology, spirituality, family development, gender, mental health, interfaith dialogue, and social issues. She also serves as a journal editor, peer reviewer, external reviewer, and SINTA verifier, contributing actively to theological research and academic development.

The Body at Stake: Advancing Equity and Reclaiming Women’s Dignity in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Abstract: My proposed study is driven by an empirical crisis in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Indonesia, where women's bodies are systematically vulnerable to gender-based violence and human trafficking due to structural poverty and asymmetrical power relations. While dominant interventions frequently focus on legal frameworks, this study offers an ethical approach that explores the potential of local religious and social institutions in driving grassroots transformation. By employing Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s ethics of responsibility and the principle of inherent human dignity (imago Dei) as a starting point for interfaith and cross-cultural humanitarian dialogue, this study aims to assert that the exploitation of women's bodies is a profound violation of universal human values. As an actionable framework, this research seeks to formulate how spiritual and communal values can be tangibly translated to empower women and advance equity by dismantling the systems that commodify their bodies. Ultimately, this study expects to provide a collaborative model for grassroots institutions across cultural and religious boundaries to create sustainable social impact, transforming oppressive structures into just and safe spaces for vulnerable populations.