WCC NEWS: WCC to participate in UN Human Rights Council Side Event, “Human Rights in Indonesia”

The World Council of Churches will host  a UN Human Rights Council side event, “Human Rights in Indonesia—One Year into the New Administration,” to be held in Geneva on 22 September. Walking to Kiwi, Pegunungan Bintang regency, West Papua, on 16 September 2021 the village was attacked by air by Indonesian forces destroying and damaging many houses and public buildings including a clinic and church. People from the village fled into the surrounding jungles, Photo: Sean Hawckey/WCC 16 September The event will consider the policies of the new Indonesian administration on human rights in Indonesia, with a focus on the human rights situation of the Indigenous peoples in West Papua. The gathering will bring together Indigenous Papuan human rights defenders and researchers to give an overview of the human rights situation one year into the mandate of the new administration. Amplifying Indigenous Voices and Exposing an Alarming Authoritarian Drift The side event, co-organised by the World Council of Churches and Franciscans International, and supported by several international human rights organisations, comes at a critical time in Indonesia's democratic trajectory. Just one year after President Prabowo Subianto took office in October 2024, the country has witnessed alarming signs of democratic backsliding and a deteriorating human rights climate. Widespread protests over austerity measures and political corruption have been met with heavy-handed crackdowns. At least 3,000 cases of arbitrary arrest during peaceful demonstrations have been reported, with confirmed deaths and injuries raising serious concerns about police brutality and impunity.  In West Papua, the situation is even more dire. Over 100,000 Indigenous Papuans are currently internally displaced, facing severe shortages of healthcare, food, clean water, and access to education. Despite urgent humanitarian needs, the Indonesian government continues to block international aid from reaching affected communities.  The event seeks not only to document these violations but also to place the spotlight on the long-standing structural injustices faced by Indigenous Papuans. The lack of legal recognition under Indonesian law, including the decade-long failure to pass the Indigenous Peoples Bill (RUU Masyarakat Adat), leaves communities vulnerable to eviction, environmental destruction, and systemic marginalisation.. As the Human Rights Council enters its 60th session, the event will serve as a vital platform for holding the Indonesian government accountable and amplifying calls for justice, dignity, and peace in Indonesia and West Papua. Event Details Title: Human Rights in Indonesia – One Year into the New Administration Date: 22 September 2025 Time: 13:00–14:00 CEST Location: Room VII, Palais des Nations, Geneva Organisers: World Council of Churches, Franciscans International  Watch the event live here   Learn more about the WCC work on "Human dignity and rights" WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs "Human Rights in Indonesia” side event addressed crises in West Papua (WCC news release, 3 October 2024) "WCC, human rights, and the United Nations: how do they intersect?" (WCC interview with Jennifer Philpot-Nissen, the WCC programme executive for Human Rights and Disarmament, 10 October 2024) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland