Ahead of the second congress, the Indonesian Women’s Ulamas Congress (KUPI) board held a stakeholder forum. Among other things, the panel discussed tough challenges such as facing fundamentalism and religious radicalism.

Indonesian female ulama face a severe challenge, namely the strengthening of religious fundamentalism and radicalism in Indonesia in the past 5 years.

This was conveyed by the Indonesian Women’s Ulama Congress (KUPI) administrators at a press conference ahead of the KUPI Congress in Jakarta on September 8, 2022.

Badriyah Fayumi from KUPI, when asked by Konde.co stated that this formidable challenge makes it essential for KUPI to hold its second congress, which will be held in Semarang and Jepara, 23-26 November 2022.

“The strengthening of religious fundamentalism and radicalism has an effect on a larger level, one of which is the family level. An assumption about the issue of young marriage, which is considered okay, is made instead of committing adultery. Meanwhile, for KUPI, young marriage is a no, nor does adultery. But in KUPI’s view, marriage must be at an adult age, over 19 years old, under the new legal rules in Indonesia,” said Badriyah Fayumi.

KUPI also highlighted the issue of religious conservatism in the family, such as calls for women to return home and not be allowed to do activities outside the home. You must get out of work quickly, even if you have outside activities.

“For example, when the husband orders the principal to resign from work, at that time, the woman must resign from the job.”

The third is the entry of extremism at the state level. To strengthen the position of women in civilization, the Second Indonesian Women’s Ulama Congress (KUPI) took the theme “Strengthening the Role of Women Ulama for a Just Civilization.”

The KUPI II Congress continues the successful KUPI I held in Cirebon in 2017. After the first congress, KUPI, which was initially an activity of a congress, has transformed into a movement rooted in the community.

KUPI Transforms in the Community

KUPI, in its birth, then became a historical momentum that unites community initiatives and institutions that are engaged in empowering women, both among academics, activists of Islamic organizations, empowerment practitioners at the grassroots, and even gender activists.

Ninik Rahayu, a KUPI activist in a press conference, stated that KUPI has also inspired the birth of women ulama communities in various regions.

“Such as the Islamic Gender Justice Ngaji Community, the Mubadalah Community, the female ulama and community of Rahima, the network of women caregivers of Islamic boarding schools and preachers, the network of women from the archipelago, the archipelago’s ning-ning network, and others.”

Issues of Islamic gender justice, through KUPI figures, are also absorbed by mainstream popular media in Indonesia, such as Islami.co, NU Online, Republika, Bincang Syari’ah, Iqra.id, Alif.id, Mubadalah.id, Rahma.id, Qobiltu.com, and many others.

The birth of KUPI, at the same time, seems to have paved the way for a flood of creative content on issues of Islamic gender justice, which previously was minimal, even practically unavailable.

“In general, five points will be generated from this second KUPI. First, the paradigm and methodology. This covers issues regarding the KUPI paradigm, sources of knowledge and the KUPI movement, KUPI’s attitude-decision methodology, and religious views. Women’s perspective as a reference base for knowledge, activism, and fatwas in KUPI, conceptualization, and implementation of the maqashid shari’ah framework, ma’ruf approach, Mubadala approach, fundamental justice approach in knowledge and practical work of KUPI.”

Second, the family theme covers issues regarding the development of the family concept based on the experience of the KUPI network. The idea of qiwamah and territory in the family. Marital, parental, and familial relationships. Domestic violence. Stunting and poverty. Family resilience to various social challenges, such as pornography, drugs, radicalism, and extremism, including typical issues that have become a concern for KUPI, namely the management and processing of household waste, the involvement of women in caring for the nation from extremism, the dangers of forced marriages, the dangers of cutting female genitalia, and protection of women’s lives from pregnancy due to rape.

“The third important issue is about women’s leadership. This includes leadership issues and women’s role in instilling Islamic education and strengthening national values, humanity, and universality. The leadership of female ulama in the grassroots realm and female ulama in Islamic boarding schools and religious institutions or organizations. As well as the existence and leadership authority of women ulama in advocacy work before the state for various issues involving women and children, such as strengthening the community economy, protecting migrant workers, the disabled, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups.”

Fourth, the women’s ulama movement covers issues about the character of the KUPI movement. Involvement of young and millennial networks in the KUPI movement, digital work as a collaboration for da’wah and the KUPI movement, cultural and structural work of female ulama in responding to the rampant politicization and commercialization of religion, as well as radicalism and violent extremism.

Fifth, the protection and preservation of nature. This includes issues of the experience of the KUPI network in nature conservation work, theological arguments for natural sustainability work, good practice of disaster management by interfaith communities, or local beliefs and wisdom. As well as the involvement of the Islamic boarding school community and educational institutions for natural sustainability, waste management for genuine sustainability, and other relevant issues.

KUPI’s Religious Views

So far, KUPI’s religious views have contributed to the birth of various policies.

Ninik Rahayu, one of the KUPI activists at the KUPI press conference, read KUPI’s views. The 2017 KUPI’s religious views on the obligation to protect children from marriage have influenced various parties, state institutions, and civil society to increase the age limit for weddings, and finally, the state legalized it to 19 years for men and women. Likewise, KUPI’s religious views on the prohibition of sexual violence have also become a turning point in the awareness of various elements of the nation, especially civil society.

“The cooperation of various parties, including the activeness of female clerics in opening spaces for dialogue with members of parliament, has yielded maximum results. On April 12, 2022, the parliament finally passed the Sexual Violence Draft Law (RUU TPKS) into the Sexual Violence Criminal Act. At the 2nd congress, 23-26 November 2022,” said Ninik Rahayu.

The KUPI Religious Conference will discuss and decide on fatwas on five crucial issues, namely the role of women in caring for the nation from extremism, managing and processing household waste for environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the protection of women from the dangers of forced marriage, the security of women’s lives from the threats of pregnancy due to rape, and the protection of women from the risks of cutting and injuring the female genitalia.

The KUPI Stakeholder Forum is promoted by various elements who collaborate and aim to create a just civilization for all. Therefore, it takes an understanding between multiple parties for the success of the agenda of the second congress in November 2022.

There were three things discussed in the meeting. First, update on the development of KUPI as a movement by explaining KUPI’s achievements, obstacles, and challenges ahead in grounding the teachings of Islam rahmatan lil’alamin where women get an equal place with men.

Second, describe the plan for the II KUPI Congress and follow up for the next five years with the collective strength that supports KUPI.

Third, getting the commitment from stakeholders, based on the KUPI network consisting of academics, Islamic boarding schools, and communities, then from the Indonesian government, media networks, and international institutions, to realize KUPI’s ideals in building a just Islamic civilization. for all.

The meeting was attended by KUPI activists, Masruchah, Ruby Kholifah, Nuruddin Amir, etc.

(Translator: Marina Nasution)