Forward-looking law passed to protect women in Indonesia.

Since 2015, Mission 21 has been working with its partners, the Reformed Church Federation in Indonesia (PGI), the Network of Women Theologians in Indonesia (PERUATI), the Pasundan Church (GKP) and the church-run women's shelter "Durebang Center" for the elimination of sexual violence in Indonesia. This takes the form of advocacy work, educational support, public awareness campaigns and emergency aid for women who have experienced violence.

After years of deliberation, the Indonesian parliament has now passed a law to combat sexual violence. In the future, both physical and non-physical violence will be treated as criminal offenses. The same applies to sexual harassment online, forced contraception, forced sterilization, forced marriage and sexual slavery. The perpetrators face high compensation payments and up to 15 years in prison.

"Mission 21 has played an active role in advocacy with its partners on the ground. In Indonesia, we worked with the National Commission on Violence Against Women, the government, the Service Providers Forum (Indonesia Forum Pengada Layanan), and the civil society network. Finally, our long struggle bore fruit: on April 12, 2022, the draft law on the crime of sexual violence was passed in the Law on the Crime of Sexual Violence," said Karmila Yusup, sector coordinator for overcoming sexual and gender-based violence at Mission 21 and pastor of partner church GKP in Bandung.

The pandemic has exacerbated the problem of domestic violence. There have also been three times as many forced marriages since the start of the pandemic. Until now, many of those affected have kept quiet about the acts because there were no opportunities to bring charges against the perpetrators.

Mission 21 continues to advocate for a non-violent future for women in Indonesia and presents in the this year's campaign "Thanks to education, we determine our own future". the importance of education for sustainable development at the center of its work.

► Campaign 2022 "Thanks to education, we determine our own future". 
► On the "Help for women affected by violence in Asia" project
► Report in the Aargauer Zeitung
► Donate here for our educational work in Indonesia