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View all search resultsKowani’s dual leadership reflects Indonesia’s malaise
What does the Kowani dual leadership debacle reflect about women’s rights, politics and democracy in Indonesia?
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Yenny Wahid, the daughter of late president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, speaks during an extraordinary congress of the women's group Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) on June 3 in Jakarta. Yenny was elected Kowani’s new chairperson in congress. (Courtesy of Kowani/-)
T
wo headed creatures exist in mythology, e.g. Orthrus, a legendary two-headed hound in Greek mythology; Amphisbaena, a mythical serpent from Greek mythology with one head at its normal front with a second head located at the tail end, and Ettins, giant-like humanoid figures in European folklore traditionally depicted with two heads.
What about organizations? In Indonesia, it happens too: Golkar Party in 2014, the National Awakening Party (PKB) in 2008, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin, 2010-2015, 2015-2020, 2024), the Indonesian Red Cross in 2024, the Indonesian Notary Association in 2023-25 and the National Committee of Indonesian Youth (KNPI).
In 2026, it’s the Indonesian Women’s Congress (Kowani)’s turn.
Founded on Dec. 22, 1928, Kowani was formally established as a federation in 1946, with 30 members. It is Indonesia’s largest umbrella organization for women’s groups, and in 2026 reportedly has 119 members. Their backgrounds differ, but all purportedly have the aim to advance women’s rights, education and empowerment.
In 1965-1966, Kowani not only experienced a purge of its leftist organizations, in line with the annihilation of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), it was also co-opted by the New Order regime (1966-1998) and became the state corporatist organization for women. It was one of the breeding grounds of state ibuism, the New Order state gender ideology that defines women’s roles as wives and mothers (ibu), and institutionalizes their duty to serve their husbands, families, society and the state.
In the reform era, Kowani supposedly became an independent entity, empowerment focused, advocating for female leadership, economic independence and legal protection. Due to the fact that up to now, Kowani is closer to the state than society, it has largely been off my radar.
When I heard that Yenny Wahid, the daughter of late president and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, had been elected as head of Kowani, I was very surprised as she has never identified as a woman activist.
