A Mapping of Gender Mainstreaming Literature in Indonesia: A Sectoral Politic Analysis

This study maps the dynamics, successes, and obstacles in the implementation of gender mainstreaming in Indonesia from a political perspective. Although gender equality is regulated by national policies like Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2000, there is a significant gap in on-the-ground implementation, especially in the political sector where gender inequality is still very prominent. The focus is to fundamentally explain why the political sector shows greater resistance to integrating the gender agenda compared to other sectors. Despite the existence of affirmative action policies that require a minimum 30% quota for female candidates, national female representation in parliament only reached 21.9% in the 2024 election, which is far below the expected target. Using a qualitative literature review, this study systematically analyzes existing research and maps the dynamics of gender mainstreaming in the political sector. The findings reveal several inhibiting factors specific to this sector: deeply rooted patriarchal culture, biased political party structures, financial and personal barriers, and geographical constraints, especially in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions where female representation averages only 13.7%. On the other hand, the study also identifies driving factors, such as affirmative policies like the quota and zipper systems, and high gender political awareness among voters, which can help break through this sectoral resistance. A case study in Bukittinggi City shows that with high gender awareness, female representation can surpass the quota, reaching 32% in the 2024 election. In conclusion, this article presents a literature map that illustrates the obstacles to implementing gender mainstreaming in the Indonesian political sector. Although a regulatory framework is in place, implementation has not been fully capable of overcoming the resistant structural and social barriers within this sector, showing a persistent gap between policy and on-the-ground reality.