JurnalPost.com “Women are the best supervisors.” This statement can serve as a starting point to re-examine the importance of women's involvement in maintaining the quality of democracy. However, the presence of women in election supervisory bodies is not merely based on the assumption that women have better oversight skills than men. More importantly, women's representation is a vital part of efforts to create a democracy that is inclusive, fair, and provides equal space for all citizens.
Democracy is not just about casting a ballot every five years. It is also the embodiment of justice, equality, and public involvement in the political decision-making process.
In the Indonesian context, a fundamental question arises regarding the extent to which election management and supervisory bodies reflect the diversity of the society they serve. One issue that remains a concern is the low representation of women in the structure of election supervisors.
Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections has mandated the importance of ensuring at least 30 percent women's representation in the membership of election management bodies. However, its implementation still faces various challenges, including social barriers, patriarchal culture, and the lack of equal opportunities for women to occupy strategic positions.
As the institution responsible for overseeing the conduct of general elections, the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) plays a crucial role in ensuring that every stage of the election takes place honestly, fairly, and in accordance with legal provisions.
Therefore, women's representation in the Bawaslu structure is not just a matter of meeting quotas or affirmative action demands. The presence of women is a strategic necessity to broaden the perspective of oversight and strengthen the quality of democracy.
The Reality of Inequality in Women's Representation
Women's representation in election supervisory bodies still faces various challenges. At the central level, the composition of the Bawaslu of the Republic of Indonesia for the 2022–2027 period consists of five members, with only one woman. This means women's representation stands at 20 percent.
This condition shows that women's involvement in decision-making positions has not yet reached the expected proportion.
Based on 2023 Bawaslu data referenced in this discussion, women's representation at the provincial and regency/city levels also shows inequality. In fact, at a number of lower levels of supervision, women's participation still faces significant obstacles.
Although some regions have shown better women's representation, the overall condition shows that efforts to create a balanced supervisory structure still require serious attention.
This inequality is not just a statistical issue. The low number of women in supervisory bodies can affect the diversity of experiences and perspectives considered in the decision-making process.
Women have social experiences that are not always the same as men's, especially in facing issues of discrimination, economic inequality, intimidation, and barriers to political participation.
If these perspectives are not adequately represented, there is a risk that a number of issues faced by female voters will receive less attention in the oversight process.
For example, money politics practices that exploit household economic dependence, intimidation against female voters, or campaigns containing gender discrimination require an oversight approach that understands the social conditions of the community.
Therefore, the presence of women in the Bawaslu structure is not only to fulfill the principle of equality but also to expand the institution's ability to recognize and handle various forms of election violations.
The Presence of Women and the Quality of Election Oversight
Gender mainstreaming in election oversight is not just jargon or a demand from certain groups. This principle relates to how an institution can work inclusively and consider the needs of a diverse society.
The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is one of the organizations that pays attention to the importance of gender equality in democratic processes and election administration.
In the context of oversight, a diverse composition of members can help broaden perspectives when formulating policies, conducting prevention, or handling alleged violations.
The presence of women in supervisory structures also has the potential to strengthen internal oversight mechanisms. However, integrity and the ability to prevent abuse of power are certainly not determined by gender alone.
The quality of oversight still depends on the professionalism, independence, transparency, and courage of each supervisor in carrying out their duties.
Thus, women's representation needs to be understood as part of institutional strengthening, not as an assumption that one group is naturally more honest or more capable than others.
In addition to broadening decision-making perspectives, the presence of female supervisors can help create a more comfortable reporting space for some members of the public.
In certain conditions, women who are witnesses or victims of alleged election violations may feel more comfortable conveying their experiences to female officers, especially when the issues faced relate to intimidation or discriminatory treatment.
The presence of female supervisors at the Village/Ward Supervisory Committee (PKD) level or Polling Station Supervisors (PTPS) can be one of the efforts to strengthen an oversight approach that is more responsive to community needs.
This is important because election issues do not always occur in formal spaces. Practices of money politics, social pressure, and mobilization of support can also take place within family environments, friendship groups, or community circles.
Oversight that understands the social context will be better able to recognize patterns of violations and develop appropriate preventive measures.
Women as Drivers of Participatory Oversight
Women's involvement in election oversight is not limited to positions as Bawaslu members or commissioners. Women also have great potential in encouraging participatory oversight within the community.
In social life, women are involved in various organizations, community groups, educational communities, and family economic activities.
These spaces can be important means for providing political education and increasing public awareness regarding the dangers of election violations.
For example, socialization activities regarding money politics can be carried out through approaches that are close to the daily lives of the community.
Female supervisors can explain how vote-buying practices have the potential to affect the quality of leadership and public policy, including policies related to education, health, and family welfare.
Such an approach can help the public understand that political decisions are not just a matter of gaining short-term benefits, but also relate to their lives in the long term.
However, the responsibility for political education certainly does not lie solely in the hands of women. Men and women need to work together to build a democratic culture that rejects money politics, intimidation, and all forms of abuse of power.
Thus, women's involvement can strengthen the reach of participatory oversight while opening opportunities for the public to be more actively involved in maintaining the integrity of the election.
More Than Just Administration: Procedural and Substantive Justice
The role of women in Bawaslu is not only related to oversight of women's issues. Their presence is also important in ensuring that the election law enforcement process pays attention to the principles of procedural and substantive justice.
Procedural justice emphasizes that every examination and handling process of violations must be carried out according to the rules, without discrimination, and provide equal opportunities to all parties.
Meanwhile, substantive justice demands that the application of rules truly results in fair protection, including for groups of people who face social or structural barriers.
In a number of election violation issues, the potential for gender bias can arise when the social conditions and positions of women are not adequately considered.
For example, in alleged money politics practices, someone in a weak economic position may be the party most easily held accountable, while the main actor organizing the violation may not necessarily be touched by the legal process.
Conditions like this show the importance of examinations that are not only oriented toward fulfilling procedures but are also able to understand the power relations and vulnerabilities of the parties involved.
The presence of women in supervisory structures can enrich these considerations. However, a gender justice perspective must still be possessed by all members of the institution, both men and women.
Indonesia has also ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) through Law Number 7 of 1984.
This commitment affirms the importance of eliminating discrimination against women, including in political and governmental life.
In the context of elections, equality is not sufficiently realized only by giving women the right to vote and be elected. Women must also have fair opportunities to be involved in institutions that manage, oversee, and ensure the running of the democratic process.
This is the importance of substantive representation, which is representation that does not stop at numbers but also provides a real influence on the institution's policies and decisions.
Building a Gender-Perspective Bawaslu
To realize more inclusive election oversight, strategic steps are needed that are not only oriented toward fulfilling women's representation but also toward improving institutional quality.
First, improve the election supervisor recruitment process.
The selection team needs to ensure that the recruitment process provides fair opportunities to women. The principle of at least 30 percent women's representation must be a serious concern in the selection process in accordance with statutory provisions.
The assessment of prospective members also needs to consider an understanding of gender equality, in addition to technical election capabilities, integrity, and independence.
Second, strengthen data and oversight infrastructure.
Bawaslu needs to develop an election violation data system capable of describing community conditions in more detail, including disaggregated data based on gender.
Such data is important for identifying patterns of violations, groups vulnerable to becoming victims, and the most appropriate prevention strategies.
Without accurate data, oversight policies risk being formulated based on assumptions and not fully addressing issues in the field.
Third, increase gender sensitivity training for election supervisors.
Strengthening a gender perspective is not enough to be done at the leadership level. All levels of supervisors, including ad hoc supervisors at the sub-district, village/ward, and polling station levels, need to gain an understanding of forms of discrimination and voter vulnerability.
This training can help supervisors carry out their duties more professionally, respect the rights of every citizen, and handle reports without prejudice.
Fourth, strengthen cooperation with civil society and political parties.
Election oversight is not just Bawaslu's responsibility. Community organizations, educational institutions, women's communities, and political parties have an important role in building democratic participation.
Political parties need to open wider space for female cadres to be involved in political activities and voter education.
Meanwhile, civil society organizations can support socialization activities, participatory oversight, and assistance for people facing barriers in reporting violations.
Such collaboration can strengthen election oversight that is more open, responsive, and close to community needs.
Towards a More Equal Democracy
Gender-responsive election oversight is not a threat to certain groups. On the contrary, this approach is part of the development of democracy that recognizes the importance of equality and diverse perspectives.
Increasing women's representation in supervisory structures does not mean reducing the role of men, but rather building more balanced cooperation so that supervisory bodies can understand community issues comprehensively.
A gender-perspective Bawaslu is an institution capable of recognizing various forms of injustice, handling violations without discrimination, and ensuring that the political rights of every citizen receive equal protection.
Therefore, women's representation should not be viewed as an administrative formality or merely meeting a quota. The presence of women must be accompanied by real opportunities to be involved in decision-making, lead the oversight process, and influence the direction of institutional policy.
By opening wider space for women, we are not granting special privileges to a certain group. We are actually strengthening the basic principle of democracy that every citizen has the same right to participate and determine the future of their nation.
South Tangerang, like other regions in Indonesia, should not stop at the issue of meeting representation numbers. The next step is to ensure that women can carry out their roles meaningfully, professionally, and equally at every level of oversight.
Ultimately, the quality of democracy is not only determined by the success of holding elections, but also by the extent to which the process involves all groups of society fairly.
A strong democracy requires oversight with integrity. Meanwhile, oversight with integrity must be built on the principles of equality, openness, and respect for the rights of every citizen, both women and men.
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