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Jakarta Post

Progress on gender equality stalls as key bills languish

Maretha Uli (The Jakarta Post)
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Jakarta
Sun, August 3, 2025 Published on Aug. 1, 2025 Published on 2025-08-01T16:25:16+07:00

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Indonesian women march during a rally on March 8 2024 while commemorating International Women's Day in Jakarta. They demanded the Indonesian government pass plans for an anti-discrimination law and to ratify International Labor Organization (ILO) convention number 190 of 2019 concerning the elimination of sexual violence and harassment at work. Indonesian women march during a rally on March 8 2024 while commemorating International Women's Day in Jakarta. They demanded the Indonesian government pass plans for an anti-discrimination law and to ratify International Labor Organization (ILO) convention number 190 of 2019 concerning the elimination of sexual violence and harassment at work. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)

I

ndonesia has made limited progress in eliminating discrimination against women, despite more than four decades of commitment to gender equality following its ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), with gender-biased laws remaining on the books and key pro-women bills continuing to stall in the legislature.

In its last report to the CEDAW Committee in 2021, the government, represented by the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry, received several recommendations for addressing gaps in implementing the international women’s rights treaty. These included tackling gender-based violence, both online and offline, eliminating female genital mutilation (FGM) and improving women’s access to justice.

Ahead of its next periodic report, due this November, the ministry plans to present the 2022 Sexual Violence Eradication Law as a major legislative achievement in addressing gender-based violence. Six of the seven required implementing regulations have already been issued.

However, enforcement remains weak, and violence continues to affect women’s daily lives, the ministry said.

“There is still a lot of work to be done, as our latest survey found that one in four women continues to experience violence, with the number of cases rising.” said Ratna Susianawati, the ministry’s staff for legal and human rights affairs, during a discussion with the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) on Wednesday. 

Read also: Women workers demand stronger legal protections

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The ministry’s real-time data showed that at least 14,000 women had reported experiencing violence in 2025, already more than half the total number of cases recorded in 2024, which reached 27,000.

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