HUMAN RIGHTS “I Wanted to Run Away” Abusive Dress Codes for Women and Girls in Indonesia WATCH “I Wanted to Run Away” Abusive Dress Codes for Women and Girls in Indonesia Copyright © 2021 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62313-895-0 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org MARCH 2021 ISBN: 978-1-62313-895-0 “I Wanted to Run Away” Abusive Dress Codes for Women and Girls in Indonesia Glossary ........................................................................................................................... i Summary ......................................................................................................................... 1 From Pancasila to “Islamic Sharia” ........................................................................................... 3 The Jokowi Administration’s Inconsistent Response ................................................................ 10 The Need for Legal Reform ...................................................................................................... 12 Key Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 15 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 16 I. Women’s Rights and Sharia from the Dutch Indies Period through the Suharto Regime 18 Suharto and the Sidelining of Islamists .................................................................................. 20 II. Rise of Political Islam and Sharia-Inspired Regulations Since Suharto........................ 25 The Aceh Precedent ................................................................................................................ 25 Discriminatory Regulations Begin to Spread ........................................................................... 26 Proliferation of Jilbab Regulations During Yudhoyono Administration ...................................... 27 2014 National Regulation on State School Uniforms ............................................................... 29 III. Jilbab in Schools ....................................................................................................... 35 Pressure and Bullying in Schools ............................................................................................ 36 Punishing Girls with Demerits, Markers, and Scissors ............................................................. 43 Non-Muslim Students Compelled to Wear a Jilbab .................................................................. 48 IV. Jilbab Requirements for Teachers and Other Government Workers ............................. 60 V. Jilbab Requirements for Visitors to Schools and Government Offices .......................... 73 VI. Harassment and Pressure to Wear the Jilbab in Public Spaces .................................. 77 The Psychological Impact of Mandatory Hijab on Girls and Women .......................................... 79 VII. International Human Rights Standards ..................................................................... 83 Freedom of Religion and Expression ........................................................................................ 83 Prohibition against Discrimination .......................................................................................... 85 Right to Privacy and Personal Autonomy ................................................................................ 86 Best Interests of the Child ...................................................................................................... 86 Right to Education .................................................................................................................. 87 Minority Rights ...................................................................................................................... 89 VIII. Recommendations .................................................................................................. 90 To President Joko Widodo ...................................................................................................... 90 To the Speaker of the House of Representatives ..................................................................... 90 To the Speaker of the House of Regional Representatives ........................................................ 91 To the Minister of Home Affairs ............................................................................................... 91 To the Minister of Foreign Affairs ............................................................................................. 91 To the Minister of Education and Culture ................................................................................ 92 To the Minister of Religious Affairs ......................................................................................... 92 To the Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection ................................................ 93 To the Minister of Law and Human Rights ................................................................................ 93 To the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) ...................... 93 To the United Nations and Governments ................................................................................. 93 To Donors and International Financial Institutions ................................................................... 95 Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................... 96 Appendix 1: Mandatory Jilbab Regulations in Indonesia ................................................. 97 Appendix 2: HRW Work on Headscarf Bans and Requirements in Other Countries ......... 103 Chechnya ............................................................................................................................. 103 France .................................................................................................................................. 104 Germany ............................................................................................................................... 106 Iran ...................................................................................................................................... 107 Saudi Arabia ......................................................................................................................... 109 Areas of Syria under Islamic State rule .................................................................................. 110 Turkey ................................................................................................................................... 111 Xinjiang (in China) ................................................................................................................ 112 Appendix 3: A Letter to the Indonesian Government ...................................................... 114 Glossary Abdurrahman A leading Muslim scholar, he was Indonesia’s fourth president Wahid (1940- (1999-2001). His grandfather was a founder of the Nahdlatul Ulama, 2009) the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia. Popularly known as “Gus Dur,” Wahid chaired the organization from 1984-1998. Ahmadiyah An Islamic revivalist movement, founded in Qadian, Punjab, originating with the teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908). In Arabic, Ahmadiyah means “followers of Ahmad.” Its adherents are often called “Ahmadis.” It first appeared in Indonesia in Sumatra in 1925. It was legally registered in Jakarta in 1953. Bacharuddin Indonesia’s third president. A German-trained aeronautical engineer, Jusuf Habibie he became President Suharto’s vice president in March 1998 and (born 1932) replaced him in May 1998. He lost a bid for reelection in 1999. Cadar Veil, from the Arabic word cador. In Indonesia, it covers the head, face, neck, and below the chest, showing only the eyes. Darul Islam Armed movement established in Garut, West Java, in 1949, to set up an Islamic state in Indonesia. In Arabic, Dar al-Islam means house or abode of Islam and is commonly used to refer to an Islamic state. Hidayah “Godly guidance” in Arabic. It is usually used to politely ask Muslim women to wear the hijab. meaning “cover.” It refers to a ,(اﻟﺣﺟﺎب) Hijab From the Arabic term al hijab cloth that covers a woman’s head, neck, and chest that some Muslim women wear outside their homes or in the presence of any male outside of their family. meaning “partition.” It refers to a ,(اﻟﺟﻠب) Jilbab From the Arabic term al jalb cloth that covers a woman’s head, neck, and chest. This term is more widely used in Indonesia than the term hijab. i Joko Widodo Indonesia’s seventh president from 2014 to the present.