Women's commission urges Pancasila-based rights protection

“Pancasila emerged from the reflections of Indonesia’s founding leaders as a foundation for national governance rooted in values that guarantee protection, security, prosperity and justice for all citizens,” Chairperson Maria Ulfah Anshor said on Tuesday.

She said those principles were intended to shield citizens from colonial-era practices marked by arbitrary rule, violence and violations of human dignity.

Anshor acknowledged progress in national governance, noting that Pancasila has been formally embedded in government policies, national development plans and state programs.

“However, Pancasila’s noble values, particularly in policies affecting women and their implementation, continue to be widely overlooked,” she said.

According to Anshor, the situation reflects a broader crisis of values in both policymaking and the implementation of development programs.

She also highlighted what she described as a humanitarian crisis affecting economic conditions, social welfare and governance, particularly in efforts to eliminate violence against women.

Anshor said the continued prevalence of violence against women shows Indonesia has yet to fully embody the principles of a just and civilized society.

Komnas Perempuan recorded 376,529 cases of gender-based violence against women in 2025, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing the country.

The figure represented a 14.07 percent increase from the number of cases reported a year earlier.

“Gender-based violence against women remains a serious and complex issue across personal, public and state spheres,” Anshor said, as Indonesia marked the 81st anniversary of Pancasila on June 1 under the theme “Pancasila Unites the Nation, the Foundation of World Peace.”

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Translator: Anita Permata, Raka Adji