Women's Protection Deemed Not Yet Optimal Despite Institutional Strengthening

Member of the House of Representatives Commission XIII, Rieke Diah Pitaloka, has assessed that the expansion of the National Commission on Violence Against Women’s (Komnas Perempuan) mandate through Presidential Regulation Number 8 of 2024 has not been fully proportional to the actual protection provided to women. Although the institution’s authority has been strengthened, policy implementation and budget allocation remain significant challenges. During a hearing with Komnas Perempuan, Rieke explained that the regulation had reinforced the institution’s mandate through expanded analytical functions on women’s vulnerability issues, strengthened organisational structures, cross-sector coordination, and institutional accountability. This reform was described as an important step in fulfilling the constitutional mandate to protect, respect, and fulfil women’s human rights. Komnas Perempuan’s presentation showed that the mandate is being implemented. Throughout 2025, the institution produced 49 knowledge products, 31 working instruments, and 55 policy recommendations. It also received 4,597 complaints, handled 3,682 cases of gender-based violence against women, and carried out 1,332 responses. As of 30 June 2026, 1,833 complaints had been received, of which 1,279 cases could be followed up, while 554 cases could not be processed due to various obstacles. The majority of cases still occur in the personal domain, while gender-based violence in the digital space continues to show an increasing trend. Rieke appreciated Komnas Perempuan’s achievements but stressed that administrative success should not obscure the fundamental issue of the effectiveness of protection for women. She highlighted that out of 55 policy recommendations prepared by Komnas Perempuan, only seven have been followed up. This situation indicates that the effectiveness of recommendations remains highly dependent on the commitment of ministries, institutions, and local governments. Rieke also assessed that budget allocation does not yet reflect the real needs of victim handling. Komnas Perempuan’s budget realisation in 2025 reached 89.79 percent, but in the 2026 State Budget, around 85.65 percent of the budget ceiling is still concentrated on institutional support, while the allocation for victim handling and recovery is only 4.49 percent. She argued this composition shows an imbalance between the complexity of violence against women and the fiscal support provided by the state. Rieke also highlighted findings from the Supreme Audit Agency regarding personnel governance at Komnas Perempuan, viewing them as a momentum to strengthen internal governance to maintain the institution’s independence. She urged the government to ensure the full implementation of the Presidential Regulation and called for a restructuring of budget policies to increase allocations for victim services and strengthen regional services.