“For the Bangka Belitung Islands alone, we will form 10 of these human rights awareness villages,” ministry official Giyanto Wiyono said in Pangkalpinang.
He said the ministry introduced the initiative in 2025 by designating 10 pilot villages. In 2026, it plans to roll out 200 additional villages across all regional offices nationwide.
“Last year, we piloted these human rights awareness villages in 10 locations and are currently in the introduction and socialization phase of the program,” he said.
The program aims to improve public understanding of human rights principles and ensure they are embedded in village governance, including the drafting of village regulations, development planning and other administrative processes.
Under the scheme, village administrations are expected to integrate human rights standards into every policy and regulation they issue, Wiyono said.
He added that Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has instructed local governments to strengthen the application of human rights values in all village-level policies.
The ministry hopes to expand the number of participating villages further this year, subject to budget approval, as part of a broader push to institutionalize human rights awareness at the community level.
Wiyono said the initiative is designed not only to increase awareness but also to encourage accountability and transparency in village governance, ensuring that development programs and public services align with national human rights standards.
If fully implemented, the expansion to 200 villages would mark a significant scaling up of the program within a year, reflecting the government’s intent to mainstream human rights considerations into local decision-making structures across Indonesia.
Related news: Indonesia's anti-graft agency stops showing suspects under new KUHAP
Related news: Human rights minister urges for probe into threats against activists
Translator: Aprionis, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
