Anifah

Women in the New Order Era (A Study of Family Planning and Population Control Policies from 1968 to 1983)

Introduction

Women in the new order era (a study of family planning and population control policies from 1968 to 1983). Examine how New Order family planning & population control policies (1968-1983) structured women's identity and political control in Indonesia.

Abstract

This journal conducts research on how women's identity was structured during the New Order period from 1968 to 1983. Initially, the policies created by the PKK and KB aimed to control women's movements in the political sphere. Ultimately, these policies became very important because they were used as a means of controlling the state. As this study shows, state policies did not always focus on the welfare and interests of the people. The legitimacy of power was used as a tool for the interests of the people, but it was also used for personal interests or the interests of certain groups. In addition, the legitimacy of power is used to override the rights of the people by resorting to violence to implement established policies. At that time, Indonesian women were undergoing a period of transition.

Review

This paper proposes a critical examination of women's identity formation during Indonesia's New Order era, specifically between 1968 and 1983. Focusing on the implementation of Family Planning (KB) and Family Welfare Movement (PKK) policies, the study challenges the conventional understanding of these initiatives. The central argument posits that these policies, while seemingly aimed at social welfare, were primarily instruments for controlling women's political engagement and ultimately served as a broader mechanism for state power and the maintenance of a particular social order, often at the expense of genuine public interest. A significant strength of this research lies in its explicit intention to critique the exercise of state power during the New Order. By arguing that the legitimacy of power was frequently co-opted for personal or group interests, and that established policies were enforced through violence, the study promises to offer a revisionist perspective on this period. The focus on women's "period of transition" also suggests an insightful exploration into the complex and often coercive ways in which state policies shaped the lives and roles of Indonesian women, thereby contributing valuable insights to both gender studies and the political history of Indonesia. To further enhance its impact, the paper would benefit from a clearer articulation of its methodological approach within the abstract. Specifying how the research unpacks the causal link between PKK/KB policies and the suppression of women's political movements, or the evidence used to substantiate claims of violence and the overriding of citizens' rights, would strengthen its analytical foundations. Additionally, while the abstract highlights women's changing identity under state control, a brief indication of the specific facets of identity being examined—be it social, economic, or cultural—and the nature of their "transition" would provide a more precise scope for the reader.

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