Indonesian human rights regulatory reform efforts

Indonesian Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai is advocating for the accelerated passage of several regulatory frameworks to strengthen the ministry’s authority and operational capacity.

Initially, Pigai emphasized the need for a solid legal foundation to facilitate a ‘human rights revolution.’ He noted that current legal limitations prevent the ministry from taking decisive action against corporations suspected of violations, such as issuing warnings or revoking licenses. Additionally, the lack of a legal mandate has hindered the ministry’s ability to provide humanitarian assistance in conflict zones due to restrictions on the use of state funds.

By September 2026, the focus expanded to include the necessity of public participation in policy formulation. Pigai urged government agencies to move beyond providing platforms for speech and instead actively respond to civil society recommendations. He specifically called on the State Secretariat to expedite four strategic regulatory drafts that had been stalled for eight months: the revision of the Human Rights Law, the Sixth National Action Plan on Human Rights (RAN HAM), a Presidential Regulation on Business and Human Rights, and a Presidential Instruction on the Recovery of Human Rights Violations. These reforms are intended to support President Prabowo Subianto’s ‘Asta Cita’ vision and resolve ongoing budget implementation issues for human rights programs.