11 - Increasing the Proportion of Women in the National Parliament: Opportunities, Barriers and Challenges

Summary

Throughout Indonesia' history, women have made up only a small proportion of the national parliament. During the New Order period (1966–98), the proportion of women in parliament averaged about 9 per cent, peaking at just over 13 per cent in 1987. The first general election in the post Suharto period was declared free and fair, yet it produced a worrying result for those who had hoped that democracy would bring greater gender justice: the percentage of women elected to the national parliament fell from 10.8 per cent to 8.8 per cent. In 2004 the proportion of women parliamentarians increased to 11.3 per cent, but the magnitude of the increase fell far short of that hoped for by women' groups. In 2009, 17.8 per cent of those elected to the national parliament were female. This represented a historic high for Indonesia, falling just short of the (very low) global average of 18.8 per cent.

Over the past decade, women' groups have actively called for measures to correct the gender imbalance in parliament. In 2003 parliament introduced Indonesia' first gender quota, with stronger quota provisions included in the 2008 laws on political parties and elections. In 2004 and 2009 Indonesia had in place two measures widely associated with greater numbers of women in parliament—proportional representation and a quota. These had positive effects, but the parliamentary representation of women nevertheless remained low.

This chapter explores the reasons for the low number of women in Indonesia' national parliament. In the first section I examine three key factors that have been shown internationally to have a significant influence on the number of women elected to parliament. Next, I examine how each has played out in Indonesia. Finally, I ask whether the historically high number of women elected to the national parliament in 2009 can be considered a success for gender equality.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: WHAT WORKS?

The proportion of women in parliament is influenced by a range of political, economic, cultural and structural factors. In particular, there are three factors that international experience suggests are important determinants of the number of women in parliament: the broad policy and legislative framework, the electoral system and the use of quotas.