Marginalized Groups Require Attention Amid Low Participation and Recognition

Marginalized communities are often excluded from societal activities and, even more so, from participating in development. 

Many individuals within these groups require the fulfillment of their rights, yet recognition as part of the nation’s citizens is still not fully acknowledged. 

This issue was raised during a research dissemination seminar on social inclusion held on Tuesday (Oct. 22) at the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM) Auditorium.

Abdi Suryaningati, AIPTIS’s Tech Lead for Capacity Development and Sustainability, explained that marginalized communities are often not involved in societal and development processes. Many within these groups require more rights fulfillment than the majority population. 

“The research results show that even though their rights are far from being fulfilled, their recognition as part of the nation is still an issue we all need to address,” said the team leader of the Peduli Program at The Asia Foundation.

Dr. Wawan Mas’udi, Dean of Fisipol UGM, echoed this sentiment. According to him, democracy can function effectively if all individuals with citizenship status can actively participate. 

“It’s not just from a legal perspective, but also in the involvement of all groups, the recognition of rights, and participation in governance,” stated Dr. Mas’udi.

For Dr. Mas’udi, inclusivity issues must be understood and translated into policy frameworks to create an inclusive societal ecosystem.

Research on social inclusion, focusing on gender equality, disabilities, and social inclusion in Aceh, Yogyakarta, and South Sulawesi, revealed significant differences in excluding social groups across these provinces. 

In Yogyakarta, for example, street children, transgender individuals, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are among the most excluded groups. 

“Unlike Jogja, in South Sulawesi, we observe exclusion concerning social recognition in the economy, specifically coastal communities and fishermen,” Dr. Mas’udi explained.

In Maros, South Sulawesi, where most of the population are fishermen, only male fishermen are recognized, even though women also play crucial roles in the coastal economy. 

“This situation makes it difficult for them to obtain Fisherman’s Identification Cards (KTN), which are necessary for accessing government assistance,” he added.

Exclusion also occurs in the community’s processes. Dania, a research team member, noted that regular meetings in coastal communities are often held at night when most fishermen are at sea. 

This leads to exclusion and the formation of marginalized groups. Consequently, the government is unable to distribute these groups’ rights, causing maldistribution. 

“Without distribution, they have no space for representation, leading to misrepresentation,” said Dania.

Exclusion is also reflected in public perceptions of current policies. The second study, “Exclusive Policy-Making in Indonesia Post-Decentralization,” examined public perceptions of certain groups. 

Desi Rahmawati, a researcher at UGM’s Center for Politics and Government Studies (PolGov), stated that survey results show a majority of the public opposes political rights, such as local candidacies, for transgender individuals. 

“There is public opposition to the political rights of transgender groups, while more people are in favor of these rights for individuals with disabilities, particularly in the social sector,” Rahmawati explained.

A similar situation exists with policies at the gubernatorial level, such as the Governor of Yogyakarta’s Instruction No. K.898/I/A75 prohibits Chinese descendants from purchasing land in Yogyakarta. 

Some members support the implementation of this potentially exclusive policy.

According to Rahmawati, a lack of public participation and control in inclusion policies leads to their suboptimal implementation. 

“Public perception also supports exclusivity in society. The impact of these policies tends to be resolved once the umbrella policy is in place, and then it stops there,” Rahmawati concluded.

Author: Tasya

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Photo: Freepik

Post-editor: Afif