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Rethinking Indonesia’s commitment to UN Women's agenda
The current administration has signaled very little as regards the greater representation of women as part of Indonesia's foreign policy agenda, more specifically the processes of diplomacy, peacebuilding and decision-making in the security sector.
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Female soldiers stand at attention on Aug. 31, 2018, as they prepare to deploy as part of the Indonesian contingent on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lebanon. (Kompas/Nina Susilo)
A
lmost 25 years ago, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), an important agenda and a key milestone to amplify and elevate women’s voices, participation and leadership.
The status of women and their involvement in decision-making hold the potential to shape a state’s peacefulness. Hudson et al. argue that the low representation of women in foreign policy is detrimental to peace, while their greater participation can lead to more innovative approaches to peace and security. This is supported by historical examples, such as the mass mobilization of women during the 1961 anti-nuclear protest in the United States.
The WPS agenda is not merely a piece of paper produced through prolonged multilateral negotiations. It represents transformative change, a commitment that even the UN sometimes fails to fulfill.
Two and a half decades later, meaningful global progress has been made in promoting the role of women in peacebuilding. And yet, this year has also witnessed a significant setback.
In April, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the cancellation of a program related to women’s roles in the security sector. Ironically, President Donald Trump signed the WPS Act into law during his first term in 2017. This was an unusual bipartisan move that supported women’s participation in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and efforts to counter violent extremism.
In addition, Executive Order 14169 has affected US foreign aid across numerous sectors, including humanitarian assistance, worsening the situation for women and children in conflict areas, according to a UN report.
Today, even such commitments appear to be weakening, especially in countries that once positioned themselves at the forefront of promoting the WPS agenda.
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