Female Figure Dewi Motik Asks for Kowani's Issues to be Resolved Internally
Headline
The overdue membership fees need to be addressed first while considering the economic conditions.
The overdue membership fees need to be addressed first while considering the economic conditions.
Female figure and member of the Advisory Council of the Indonesian Women’s Congress (Kowani), Dewi Motik, expressed her concern regarding the issues plaguing the nearly 100-year-old women’s organization. Dewi Motik reminded that differences of opinion within an organization like Kowani are common and should be resolved through internal mechanisms.
“It is common for disagreements to occur within an organization. If disagreements arise, we should resolve them through internal consultations and consensus. As an organization that is committed to the resolutions of the congress and the organization’s Articles of Association, we should not bring issues within the organization to the outside,” said Dewi Motik during the 2026 Kowani Ramadan Bazaar, at the Kowani DPP office, Jakarta, yesterday.
Wearing a white Muslim dress with a red headscarf, Dewi Motik, accompanied by a female figure and former leader of the MPR RI, Melani Leimena Suharli, explained that they regretted the actions taken by a group she called the “Group of 19,” who submitted a vote of no confidence in the General Chair of Kowani, Nannie Hadi Tjahjanto.
Dewi affirmed that she, along with the General Chair of Kowani and the organization’s management, had invited all parties to pursue reconciliation to maintain the unity of the Kowani organization. She regretted that the call for reconciliation seemed to be ignored by the Group of 19 because it did not receive a positive response. “Because this group seems to insist on holding an Extraordinary Congress or KLB, they submitted a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Kowani,” Dewi said.
On that occasion, Dewi explained the attitude of the Group of 19’s vote of no confidence, which was previously contained in an official letter dated November 14, 2025, after an internal evaluation, discussion, and moral and organizational considerations. In the letter of the vote of no confidence, the signatories mentioned several main points of their objections, including alleged violations of internal democratic principles and organizational governance, and a request to hold a meeting of the Steering Board to form a Special Committee that will process the revocation of the General Chair’s Decree and prepare for an Extraordinary Congress (KLB).
As a senior figure in Kowani, Dewi Motik assessed the move as a form of betrayal against the women’s organization. “So there are 19 people who were originally in the Kowani leadership who submitted a vote of no confidence in the General Chair of Kowani, which we do not understand why they carried out this treasonous movement,” she said.
Dewi also said she regretted the alleged involvement of the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), who she felt seemed to support the group proposing the vote of no confidence. “Our call for reconciliation was ignored, they felt they were in a strong position because they seemed to receive support from the Minister of PPPA to hold a KLB for Kowani,” Dewi concluded.
Kowani believes that collaboration between women’s organizations is the key to accelerating the realization of the nation’s ideals.
Women’s leadership is not just about occupying strategic positions, but also about bringing values of empathy, collaboration, and resilience to various sectors of life.
The Indonesian Women’s Congress (Kowani) must be able to consolidate the resources it has to realize Golden Indonesia 2045.
Kowani accommodates 111 member organizations at the central level with more than 100 million female members from all over Indonesia.
Kowani believes that collaboration between women’s organizations is the key to accelerating the realization of the nation’s ideals.
Women’s leadership is not just about occupying strategic positions, but also about bringing values of empathy, collaboration, and resilience to various sectors of life.