Human Rights Ministry Targets 400 Human Rights Activists by 2027

The Ministry of Human Rights is targeting an increase in the number of Human Rights Activists (Penggerak HAM) to 400 by 2027, up from the current 188, to strengthen the protection of human rights at the village and sub-district levels. “We will continue to develop the recruitment process for human rights activists at the village level,” said Deputy Minister of Human Rights Mugiyanto during the inauguration of the activists in Jakarta on Thursday. Mugiyanto acknowledged that the current number of activists is still far from adequate when compared to the approximately 85,000 villages and sub-districts across Indonesia. He explained that the programme is an initial step to raise awareness of human rights issues at the grassroots level. The activists are tasked with identifying human rights issues in their respective villages and reporting them to the Ministry of Human Rights. They will also collect data on community conditions, including the names and addresses of residents, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, stunting cases, residents without access to the Social Security Agency (BPJS), school-age children not receiving an education, and residents suffering from permanent illnesses. “With this information, we can carry out interventions, either directly by the Ministry of Human Rights or in collaboration with related ministries and agencies,” Mugiyanto stated. He added that the activists are also expected to identify potential human rights violations so that preventive measures can be taken through coordination with relevant authorities, including the police.