Indonesia

Jakarta Indonesia — UN Women Indonesia marked the annual United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign 2023 by inviting young people to learn about how to combat violence perpetrated online.

Jakarta, Indonesia — UN Women Indonesia joined the Indonesian Women's Coalition, the Association for Elections and Democracy, and the Center for Political Studies at the University of Indonesia in organizing the Dialogue Forum of Women Politicians and Civil Society: Promoting Meaningful Participation and Representation in Politics last year.

In the 2019 general election, Indonesians voted more women into the national parliament than ever before. After the first election of the post-authoritarian period in 1999, women’s representation was a paltry 8.8%, so the rise to 20.9% in 2019 seemed worth celebrating. Indeed, women activists had worked long and hard to reach this point. Disappointed with the results of the first two elections, they had successfully pushed for a candidate quota, requiring parties to nominate at least 30% women.

In the 2019 general election, Indonesians voted more women into the national parliament than ever before. 

After the first election of the post-authoritarian period in 1999, women’s representation was a paltry 8.8%, so the rise to 20.9% in 2019 seemed worth celebrating. Indeed, women activists had worked long and hard to reach this point. 

Disappointed with the results of the first two elections, they had successfully pushed for a candidate quota, requiring parties to nominate at least 30% women. 

A Step Forward but Not Enough

In the 2019 general election, Indonesians elected more women into the national parliament than ever before, with women’s representation rising to 20.9%. This increase was attributed to the implementation of a 30% candidate quota for women, which compelled political parties to nominate more women candidates. However, this quota did not lead to equal representation, as more than 20% of electoral districts did not elect any women to parliament.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - As Indonesia will hold the 2024 General Elections on February 14, 2024, efforts to support women's representation in politics are still needed.

The Global Gender Gap Index 2022 released by the World Economic Forum ranked Indonesia in the 92nd position out of 146 countries, with a score of 0.697.

Indonesia’s election lineup next month will be dominated by men, but a number of women are trying to break into a political scene long overshadowed by patriarchal elites.

More than 200 million people are eligible to vote in the February 14 election, with slightly more than half of them women, according to the country’s election commission, yet only a handful of women represent them in parliament.