Prof. Dr. Muhadjir Muhammad Darwin Talked about the Importance of Gender Justice in a Retirement Seminar

Yogyakarta, January 26th 2023─With the end of duty of Prof. Dr. Muhadjir Muhammad Darwin, Department of Public Policy Management (DMKP) of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University (FISIPOL UGM) held a Retirement Seminar on Thursday (26/1) at the Auditorium Mandiri of FISIPOL UGM as well as online on Zoom. The seminar with the theme Contemporary Gender Issues: Challenges and Policy Responses also aims to appreciate Prof. Muhadjir for his contribution so far, both in the form of scientific development and dedication to the field of gender studies and public policy.

The seminar was also attended by the Dean of FISIPOL UGM, Wawan Mas’udi, to give a speech as well as the Head of the DMKP, Prof. Dr. Wahyudi Kumorotomo, who read the biography of Prof. Muhadjir. The event then continued with a keynote speech by Prof. Muhadjir with the title of Justice in Gender Relations and Nationality.

In his speech, Prof. Muhadjir discussed gender issues from a male perspective. “An important question that needs to be raised is how men should behave in terms of gender,” he said. Just like the issue of nationality which concerns ethnicity and religion, according to him, it is the value of justice that is missing from the issue of gender relations.

“In building the nation, emphasizing justice, not marginalizing parties with different identities. That’s how it should be in gender; we build gender relations that are just for men and women,” said Prof. Muhadjir in his keynote speech. Before closing his speech, he hoped that the men together with the women who were present were ready to fight for gender justice in Indonesia.

The delivery of the keynote speech was followed by two series of seminars on the topic of Inclusive Policy for Women in the Public Sphere as well as the Urgency and Challenges of Women’s Protection Policies in Indonesia. The two seminars were attended by various speakers, namely Dr. Budi Wahyuni from Indonesian Family Planning Association of DIY (PKBI); Prof. Dr. Ismi Dwi Astuti Nurhaeni, Dean of FISIP of Sebelas Maret University; Prof. Dr. Sulistiyowati Irianto, Professor of Legal Anthropology at UI; Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, Vice Chancellor of UGM; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rosalia Sciortino, from Mahidol University.