Jakarta, 8 December 2025 – Every year, Indonesia reaffirms its commitment to embed human rights into national and regional development through the Musyawarah Perencanaan Pembangunan (Musrenbang). The annual forum has become a vital platform for government agencies, civil society groups, and private sector representatives to synchronize policies and ensure that human rights principles form the backbone of the country’s development agenda.
In the plenary session on Human Rights Mainstreaming, Makarim Wibisono, Co-Founder of FIHRRST and Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Human Rights, delivered a keynote speech reflecting on Indonesia’s evolving position in the global human rights landscape. The session was moderated by Mrs. Harniati, who currently serves as the Acting Director General of Human Rights Instruments and Empowerment at the Ministry of Human Rights.
During this session, Mr. Wibisono began by emphasizing that human rights mainstreaming is deeply interlinked with Indonesia’s pathway toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Ministry of Human Rights, he noted, plays a central role in strengthening equitable legal governance and coordinating the National Human Rights Action Plan (RANHAM) to ensure alignment with SDG commitments.
To illustrate the importance of global cooperation, he drew on his experience as Indonesia’s Ambassador to the United Nations from 2004 to 2007 and as President of the UN Human Rights Council. He shared a powerful reflection relevant to Indonesia’s current trajectory: “Building multilateral institutions is not merely about designing mechanisms, but about negotiating values, power, and trust.” He underscored Indonesia’s long-standing role as a bridge-builder, one committed to maintaining the Human Rights Council’s relevance, effectiveness, and fairness for all nations.
From this global context, Mr. Wibisono moved to highlight Indonesia’s progress in adopting major human rights instruments, including several core ILO conventions. He also noted the country’s strong international standing—having been elected to the UN Human Rights Council six times—and outlined Indonesia’s priorities for the 2024–2026 term, which include climate justice, AI governance, combating disinformation, and protecting migrant workers.
Transitioning from policy commitments to implementation, he devoted a significant portion of his remarks to Indonesia’s advancements in Business and Human Rights (B&HR). Since 2015, Indonesia has introduced a series of pioneering measures: human rights certification in the fisheries sector, sustainability reporting requirements under the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the PRISMA human rights self-assessment platform, and the 2023 Presidential Regulation on the National Strategy on Business and Human Rights. These milestones, he explained, lay the groundwork for the mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence framework expected to be implemented by 2028.
Continuing on this trajectory, Mr. Wibisono highlighted the importance of the need to strengthen institutional capacity within the ministry of human rights by encouraging multi-stakeholder collaboration, enhancing data-driven monitoring and evaluation, and accelerating the digitalization of human rights services. Equally important, he said, is harmonizing national and regional policies to ensure that human rights considerations are fully integrated into local development plans.
As Indonesia navigates global shifts, from geopolitical tensions to emerging international due diligence requirements, he called for a national approach that remains both agile and principled. RANHAM, he emphasized, will continue to serve as a foundational compass, particularly as the national agenda expands to address issues such as artificial intelligence, climate risks, and the energy transition.
“Mainstreaming human rights is neither quick nor easy,” Wibisono concluded. “But every step forward strengthens the foundation for a more just, democratic, and humane Indonesia.”