Political parties urged to strengthen female cadre development for better women's representation

Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi has urged all political parties to strengthen women’s cadre development continuously to improve female political representation.

“I call on all political parties to continuously strengthen women’s cadre development and foster a more equitable political culture free from stereotypes against women,” said Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi in Jakarta on Sunday.

Fauzi believes women’s political representation can still be strengthened to enhance Indonesia’s democratic quality.

The minister acknowledged challenges faced by women in politics extend beyond meeting numerical quotas, including limited access to political spaces, weak internal party cadre systems, and persistent gender-based stereotypes and violence in both public and digital spaces.

She stressed that women in parliament must drive tangible improvements in public policy quality.

“Despite the 30% affirmative action quota policy being in place for over two decades, women’s participation in legislative bodies has yet to meet the target,” said Minister Arifatul Choiri Fauzi.

According to a KemenPPPA study with the Centre for Political Studies at the University of Indonesia for the 2024 elections, female representation rates in the DPR RI and DPRDs currently range between 16% and 22%, and remain unevenly distributed across all electoral districts.

Therefore, KemenPPPA continues to strengthen collaboration with various parties, including Bawaslu, to create safe and gender-responsive political spaces.