What Jakarta's Women's March reveals about the Indonesian feminist movement

On April 27, thousands of people gathered in central Jakarta for the 2019 Women's March, parading in solidarity to support women's right in the archipelago and across the globe. 

Though Women's March took place all over the world in January, organizers of the Jakarta chapter scheduled their march in late April for safety reasons, and so it would follow the Indonesian general elections, which were held on April 17 this year. 

"This is a political year, and we just had legislative and presidential elections a week ago, so at first we thought that some people might be afraid to speak up about these issues, but apparently it didn't affect them. The crowd is really great today, we saw so many new faces," spokesperson Skolastika Lupitawina told The Jakarta Post at the event.

"There are those who ask why we do this every year, but I think we must continue to fight for women's rights, and it makes me happy that every year we have enough people to support this type of action," Wina, a 20-year-old student from University of Indonesia attending the march, told the FBomb. 

Since the first march took place in 2017, the Indonesian Women's March has grown; organizers of the 2017 Women's March Jakarta recorded that around 800 people participated, but this number increased to 2,000 in 2018 and surged to 4,000 this year. 

This growth of support for the march indicates that the feminist movement is flourishing in Indonesia. And there is a clear need for it in a country in which women and girls still face significant barriers. In addition to everyday acts of sexism and other sexist traditions that place Indonesian women as second-class citizens, the nation has a high prevalence of child marriage and lack of legal protections for victims of sexual violence. 

According to data published by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Indonesia ranks 7th among countries with the highest absolute numbers of child marriage, with around one in nine girls married before they turn 18 – this practice affects approximately 375 girls every day. 

Putting an end to child marriage is not an easy task for diverse and populous countries like Indonesia, especially given the common perception of child marriage as a tradition or a solution to economic hardship in the nation. Furthermore, many Indonesian girls marry through "Nikah Siri,"  an unofficial and unregistered practiced. While child marriages are illegal under the 1974 Marriage Law, the same legislation does not explicitly ban them or criminalize those who practice it. 

The National Commission for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) says that of the 13,568 cases of violence against women reported in 2018, more than two-thirds (71 percent) took place in intimate relationships. One-third of those involved sexual violence and of cases that took place in public settings, sexual violence comprised 64 percent. 

Since 2014, Komnas Perempuan has led the proposal of a bill against sexual violence that would protect victims and help eliminate discrimination against them. The bill gained prominence in 2016, as activists urged for the legislation to be fast-tracked after the shocking gang rape and murder of a 14-year-old by 14 drunk men in Bengkulu. The bill, however, still faces opposition from conservative religious groups and others claiming the proposed law violates Muslim values and promotes sex outside marriage. Saturday's march also called for legislators to finalize the bill soon. 

"In Indonesia, there are so many victims of sexual violence. I want their voices to be heard so they can have their justice," Valerie, a recent high school graduate from Central Jakarta, told the FBomb. 

This march was the second Valerie has attended, and for the 17-year-old, participating in an offline event makes her "feel empowered." She added, "I know there's a lot of people who support feminism, but seeing people gathering around, sparing time to be here – it's really good." 

Many people see events like Women's March as key to raising awareness about issues women and other marginalized communities face. For 17-year-old Naftalie, who resides in East Jakarta, this kind of movement serves as a wake up call for society. 

"In reality, Indonesia is still all over the place. Even when we see [the government promote] equality, the reality reflects something else entirely. There is obscure dogma everywhere, and people are easily influenced by them. So there must be someone presenting them with a wake-up call," Naftalie told the FBomb. 

Many issues besides child marriage and sexual violence that women and girls in Indonesia face have yet to even reach the mainstream agenda for the country's leaders and lawmakers. For example, a 37-year-old woman was put in jailby Indonesia's top court in 2018 for documenting sexual harassment. 

Events and movements such as Women's March Jakarta are necessary to push these issues to the forefront. Thanks to the young and vibrant voices elevated by the march, the country is at least one step closer to protecting vulnerable communities. 

"The more we raise awareness, the more people know about this kind of movement, the more sustainable this movement will go, and that sustainability is something we look for," concluded Wina."  It's not just a one-time impact, but it's for the longest term."