18 August 2021
In the near future, the government will begin the selection process for election management bodies, namely the General Elections Commission and the Election Supervisory Agency, for the 2022 to 2027 period. One of the initial steps will be the appointment of a Selection Committee, followed by a series of selection stages and final approval by the House of Representatives. This process is a strategic moment to safeguard the continuity of Indonesia’s democracy. Election organizers who are independent, uphold integrity, and demonstrate fairness and sound judgment are essential, especially in preparation for the 2024 elections.
In particular, efforts to increase women’s participation as election organizers must continue to be strengthened in order to promote gender equality and support more inclusive and democratic elections. In light of the upcoming selection process, PUSKAPOL LPPSP FISIP UI highlights several key points that deserve public attention.
- Encouraging greater participation of women remains crucial. Comparative data on applicants for the selection of the General Elections Commission and the Election Supervisory Agency show a declining trend in the total number of applicants between 2012 and 2016. However, when focusing on women’s participation, there has been an increase in percentage terms, both for applicants to the General Elections Commission and the Election Supervisory Agency. This reflects a growing enthusiasm among women to take part in the selection process. Despite this progress, the number of women appointed as commissioners for the 2017 to 2022 period remains low, with only one out of seven positions in the General Elections Commission and one out of five in the Election Supervisory Agency. These figures fall short of the minimum target of thirty percent representation. At the provincial and district levels, women’s representation among election organizers is also still limited, with some regions having no female commissioners at all.
- Barriers faced by women in the selection process continue to play a role. The low number of women in election management bodies is linked to various challenges, including limited access to information about the selection process, a political environment that is not always sensitive to gender issues, and broader socio cultural constraints. If the 2024 election is to be truly inclusive, then an inclusive structure of election organizers that ensures gender equality becomes a key requirement. One critical point lies in the formation of the Selection Committee, which should reflect women’s representation and adopt a strong gender perspective. The committee should also ensure that adequate representation is maintained throughout the selection stages. This must be followed by a commitment from members of parliament to adopt policies that support women’s representation. It is hoped that the number of women selected as commissioners in the next period will be higher than in previous years.
- Programs to increase women’s participation are therefore essential. A collective effort from various segments of society is needed to ensure that representation aligns with legal mandates and supports the development of election policies that are responsive to women’s needs. PUSKAPOL LPPSP FISIP UI, with support from the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its implementing partner the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, is currently running the Women Lead 2021 program. The main goal of this initiative is to increase women’s representation in election management bodies through training and mentoring programs designed to support candidates in the selection process. It is expected that this program will encourage more qualified women to participate, helping to achieve the target of thirty percent representation. A similar program was conducted in 2016 and provided valuable benefits to participants by strengthening their confidence and capacity. Two alumni of the program were later appointed as commissioners, namely Evi Novida Ginting and Ratna Dewi Pettalolo, while others went on to serve as election organizers at the local level.
- Support for increasing women’s participation must be broadened. PUSKAPOL LPPSP FISIP UI invites women with the potential to serve as election organizers, including members of civil society and local commissioners, to take part in the Women Lead 2021 program. The aim is to build a more coordinated effort to expand women’s representation in both national and local election management bodies. The institution also calls on the Selection Committee and the House of Representatives to design a selection process that provides fair opportunities for qualified women to be appointed as commissioners in the General Elections Commission and the Election Supervisory Agency.
