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Issue 2

Leveraging regulations to support women in the private sector in Indonesia

The second publication of the Indonesia Gender Dashboard presents an overview of recent progress and identifies shortcomings within the country’s legal framework surrounding women's participation in the private sector. The content is based on a review of Indonesian regulations and the latest Women, Business and the Law (2023) data and reports. The purpose of this publication is to stimulate a public-private dialogue and propose concrete actions to address the remaining gaps. To support these discussions, this issue provides examples of best practices from selected G-20 countries. 

Key takeaways from this publication

Over the past 50 years, there have been significant improvements in the overall rights of Indonesian women. According to WBL 2023, women's legal rights increased from 20 percent of men's rights in 1970 to over 70 percent in 2022. However, many regulations governing economic activities in Indonesia still need to be adapted to accommodate women’s increased economic participation. The discussion presented in this publication focuses on the regulations surrounding labor, taxes, and inheritance.

To encourage more women to participate in the private sector, the GoI needs to (i) address the availability of childcare infrastructure for private workers, (ii) reinforce equal pay policies, (iii) review incentives for hiring women, (iv) consider reforms related to taxation regulations for couples and asset ownership. Inspiring best practices in Jordan, the Republic of Korea, or the Netherlands could fuel the discussions around specific actions that will be fitting to the Indonesian context. Success requires a collaborative public-private effort between the GoI and private entities as well as the civil society.

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