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Indonesia Council Open Conference 2025
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Gender Politics and Anti-gender Activism in Indonesia's Democratic Backsliding

Individual Paper

Individual Paper

11:30 am

08 July 2025

Forum 1 (Melbourne Connect)

Session 1: Democracy, Gender and Governance

One Conference streams

Social movements

Submission Description

In the past two decades, Indonesia has faced two major trends that potentially hinder feminist gains: conservative turn and democratic regression. Yet, over the past decade, progressive gender activism has arguably achieved considerable policy goals. While opposition groups toward feminist goals have become more consolidated and organized, they have had few political wins. What explains the apparent success of gender activism given what, in theory, should be an adverse political and social environment for such movements? How has the deepening democratic decline and narrowing civic space over the past decade impacted gender politics in Indonesia? To answer the questions, I will use countermovement theory as an analytical framework to understand the intricate dynamics between the state, women's and gender activists, and anti-gender groups. This is an attempt to respond to the emerging global literature that investigates the new form of backlash and the rise of anti-gender groups in backsliding democracies. 

Presenters

Presenters

Individual Paper Presenters

Ms Dyah Kartika - the Australian National University