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View all search resultsYenny Wahid elected chair of Kowani women's group
Yenny Wahid, the daughter of late president and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, was elected chairperson of the Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) in an extraordinary congress last week, amid an ongoing leadership dispute that questioned the election’s legitimacy.
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Yenny Wahid, the daughter of late president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, speaks on June 3, 2026, during an extraordinary congress of the women's group Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) in Jakarta. Yenny was elected Kowani’s new chairperson in the congress. (Courtesy of Kowani/-)
Y
enny Wahid, the daughter of late president and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, was elected chairperson of the Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) in an extraordinary congress last week, amid an ongoing leadership dispute that questioned the election’s legitimacy.
The congress in Jakarta on Wednesday elected Yenny, with support from more than two-thirds of Kowani’s active members, according to the organizing committee, which said that the figures fulfilled the required quorum and the process complied with the federation’s rules of association and bylaws.
“This is not a victory for a single individual,” Yenny was quoted as saying in a press release. “This is a collective achievement for Indonesian women who remain committed to strengthening Kowani and advancing its mission.”
Founded in 1928, Kowani serves as an umbrella organization for over 100 women's groups across Indonesia, down to the regency and city levels. It has also held a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) since 1998.
Yenny is widely known for advocating pluralism, peacebuilding and women's empowerment through the Wahid Foundation, which she cofounded with her late father Gus Dur in 2004 amid a period of religious and ethnic tensions in Indonesia.
Under her leadership, Kowani announced its plan to focus on organizational reform, women's economic empowerment, protection of women and children, women's leadership development and revitalizing its presence in international forums.
“KOWANI is a sacred trust,” Yenny said. “As we step into our second century, we will carry this trust forward with greater strength, a wider reach and a profoundly more inclusive spirit.”
