The discourse on Pancasila Feminism came to the fore during the Musyawarah Ibu Bangsa (Assembly of the Mothers of the Nation) held on Dec. 22, 2025, in Jakarta. At the close of the event, the Manifesto of the Mothers of the Nation 2025: Towards a Just Golden Indonesia 2045 was declared. The manifesto emphasized that a Golden Indonesia is not solely about economic growth, but also about justice, compassion, and the sustainability of life. Therefore, the spirit of Pancasila Feminism is expected to serve as a foundation for the Indonesian women’s movement.
Responding to the discourse on Pancasila Feminism, Dr. Hastanti Widy Nugroho, an expert in feminism, philosophy of communication, and multiculturalism from the Faculty of Philosophy, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Philosophy UGM), stated that feminism as a term and way of thinking remains unfamiliar and poorly understood by much of the public.
Further efforts are needed to introduce feminism comprehensively to society. Such efforts are necessary to minimize misunderstandings about feminism, which is often exploited by certain parties to advance specific agendas.
“There are still many people who do not understand and cannot distinguish feminism from liberal freedom movements, which leads to widespread fear. In fact, the core of feminism itself is resistance to injustice,” she said on Thursday (Jan. 15).
Regarding Pancasila Feminism, Dr. Nugroho noted that the term is relatively new and not yet widely recognized in academic circles. Studies addressing this topic remain limited and have not been extensively discussed.
She also explained that Pancasila Feminism cannot yet be taught more broadly to younger generations because the historical process of formulating Pancasila remains counterproductive to feminist values.
“We must not forget that the history of Pancasila’s formulation took place without women’s voices. There was a highly exclusive masculinity from the very beginning of its formulation, and even then, not a single woman was involved. The founding fathers, comprising intellectuals and religious elites, were all men,” she explained.
Nevertheless, the Vice Dean for Finance, Assets, and Human Resources at Philosophy UGM understands Pancasila Feminism as an effort by its initiators to ensure that feminism is accepted in Indonesia, as it embodies values aligned with the principles of Pancasila and is considered inherent to the Indonesian nation.
This is where understanding plays a crucial role, because implementing Pancasila Feminism cannot rely merely on superficial compatibility between feminism and Pancasila.
“Pancasila should not become a kind of dogma that constrains the thinking of feminist women. They should not move as feminists solely to fit within Pancasila values,” she elaborated.
Even so, she expressed appreciation for the spirit of women in resisting various forms of injustice. According to her, academics still bear the responsibility to correct public misconceptions about feminism before educating society about Pancasila Feminism.
The current priority is to eliminate oppressive mentalities within society, particularly toward women as a vulnerable group that frequently becomes victims of oppression, sometimes even by other women.
“It is important for society to begin opening its perspectives and horizons to create space for justice and equality,” she concluded.
Author: Ika Agustin
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Firsto Adi