Uphill Battle: Indonesian Women’s Political Representation

Two decades after the implementation of a 30% gender quota for women in Indonesian politics, true equality remains elusive.

Slow Progress Despite Quota: Despite the 30% quota, women’s representation in Indonesian politics remains disappointingly low, hovering around 20.9% after the 2019 elections.

Persistent Barriers: Patriarchal attitudes, financial constraints, and limited name recognition continue to hinder women’s electoral success in Indonesia.

Financial Hurdles and Elite Dominance: Candidates are expected to fund their own campaigns, favoring elite women and celebrities over grassroots candidates.

Challenges in the Current Climate: The upcoming elections are unlikely to significantly improve women’s representation, given persistent barriers and lack of central focus on gender issues.

Concerns Over Quota Implementation: Recent changes to quota regulations by the Indonesian Electoral Commission have raised concerns over women’s representation being further diluted.

Erosion of Democratic Institutions: The disregard for Supreme Court decisions and apparent male-dominated influence underscores broader erosion of democratic institutions in Indonesia.

Thus despite initial strides, Indonesian women still face substantial obstacles in achieving equal political representation, highlighting the ongoing struggle for gender parity.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The shethepeople