RKUHAP Reinforces State Commitment to Protect Women, Children, and Persons with Disabilities
Jakarta — The continued deliberation of the Draft Criminal Procedure Code (RKUHAP) at the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) has focused primarily on the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, and persons with disabilities. This agenda reflects the government’s and legislature’s commitment to building a more just and inclusive justice system.
Member of Commission III of the DPR RI, Bimantoro Wiyono, stated that Parliament is giving serious attention to the needs of vulnerable groups in the drafting of the RKUHAP. According to him, provisions concerning the protection of women, children, including pregnant women, have been integrated into the articles currently under discussion.
“This will be our consideration in drafting the RKUHAP. I believe many of these issues have already been accommodated so far,” Bimantoro said during a public hearing session that also involved Komnas Perempuan (the National Commission on Violence Against Women).
Support for a victim-centered approach was also expressed by fellow Commission III member, Rikwanto. He emphasized that in drafting procedural criminal law, the state must not only consider effectiveness and efficiency but also prioritize fair protection for victims.
“Gender issues are special. Protection for women and vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities must be prioritized,” he stated.
Concrete recommendations also came from Komnas Perempuan. In the same forum, Komnas Perempuan’s Deputy Chair, Ratna Batara Munti, explained that the commission is advocating for improvements to a legal system that is more responsive to women and children as victims of violence. According to Komnas Perempuan’s findings, many legal processes fail to respond sensitively to victims’ conditions.
“Komnas Perempuan notes the need for greater responsiveness from the legal system toward victims’ reports, ensuring faster legal processes and more equitable assistance from the outset,” Ratna explained.
Komnas Perempuan urged that the RKUHAP be shaped into a legal instrument capable of consolidating the special protections currently spread across various sectoral laws, such as the Child Protection Law, the Law on the Elimination of Domestic Violence, and the Disability Law. This approach is expected to produce a more integrated legal system that prioritizes victim protection.
“This RKUHAP should serve as a new, comprehensive milestone, reflecting the real-life experiences of victims and their advocates in the field. It’s not just about legal norms, but about substantive justice,” she stressed.
The transparent RKUHAP deliberations mark the joint efforts of the government, DPR, and stakeholders to create legal frameworks that are not only firm against perpetrators of crime but also attentive to victim recovery and protection. Thus, the RKUHAP is expected to become a new foundation for Indonesia’s criminal justice system—one that is more inclusive and socially just.
