Indonesia

Partner Organization: Front Nasional Perjuangan Buruh Indonesia – FNPBI/Papernas
Activities: Strengthen women’s political leadership.
Project Started in: 2009

Strengthen women’s political leadership
Since 2009, VIF has run a project in cooperation with the workers’ movement FNBPI in Indonesia. The purpose of the project is to strengthen women’s political leadership in civil society and politics in general through workshops and education.

Women activists without access to politics
Suharto’s dictatorship from1966 – 1998 was a huge setback for both the left and the women’s movement in Indonesia. After Suharto’s death, a democratization process was begun that created openings for strengthening women’s active role in society and politics. Among other things, a quota system was started to increase the number of women in political parties and among candidates for Congress. The increased number of women elected has not, however, led to more gender consciousness or women-friendly policies. The majority of the female members of Congress does not address women’s issues, but rather often represent political dynasties or business interests. Women activists, on the other hand, seldom have the political and economic resources required to run a successful campaign. Even within political parties, women activists lack strategic roles or the power needed to have influence over the party’s agenda. Competent, socially committed and gender conscious women are needed in politics to bring about changes toward a gender conscious and women-friendly policies.

Strengthen women’s capacity and participation in politics
In order to improve women’s political capacity and participation, FNPBI organizes workshops and training in political work, organizing and gender equality, for female activists, workers, farmers, students and others. The project has already produced results. Participants have held their own workshops for their own organizations and several participants have been elected as representatives for student associations and neighborhood organizations after completing the training. The project even helps women from different provinces in Indonesia and from other countries (primarily in Southeast Asia) to meet and learn from each other’s experiences. The project is also expected to contribute to the creation of a national or regional women’s network.

National Front for Indonesian Labor Struggles
The National Front for Indonesian Labor Struggles (Front Nasional Perjuangan Buruh Indonesia – FNPBI) was founded in 1999 and works for, among other things, a higher minimum wage, better protection for migrant workers and doing away with neoliberal policies. FNPBI has over 50,000 members in 26 districts over all of Indonesia. Approximately 64% of the members are women.

Country Facts:
Country: Indonesia
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia
Population: 240 million (2010, estimated)
BNP/capita: 4 000 USD (2009, estimated)
Area: 1,904,569 km²

More Information
For more information contact Ann-Margarethe Livh: ann-margarethe.livh@stockholm.se