“Where is the Movement Headed?” A Reflection on the Political Reform Movement of 1998

On 16 May, the National Commission on Violence against Women (KOMNAS Perempuan), along with a number of women activists and researchers, facilitated a public discussion to mark the launch of the book titled “Mapping the Civil Society Movement and the Role of Komnas Perempuan” as a form of statement of the organisation.

KOMNAS Perempuan is conscious that discussions about the reform period rarely involve women as speakers and take little account of their ideas, concepts, analysis of change and its history. This discussion was an effort to integrate women’s narratives into the social and national narrative.

Mariana Amiruddin, Commissioner of Komnas Perempuan, facilitated the discussion which focused on various relevant studies, such as: ‘the Women’s movement and the Challenge of Authoritarianism’ by Ruth Indiah Rahayu from Inkrispena,’ ‘Development, Democracy, Human Rights, and Civil Society,’ by Sri Palupi from Ecosoc Institute, and ‘the Women’s Movement and the Role and Influence of Donor Institutes on the Social Movement in Indonesia’ by Iswanti, an independent researcher.