Structural Barriers To Women's Political Representation In Papua

Abstract

Women’s political representation is a crucial element of an inclusive democracy; however, the reality in Papua shows that women’s participation in legislative bodies remains low despite the implementation of a 30% affirmative action quota policy. This condition reflects a gap between formal regulations and local political practices shaped by social, cultural, and structural factors.The identified problems include the persistence of patriarchal culture, limited access of women to political resources, weak political party support for women’s cadre development, and male dominance in local power structures that hinder women’s electability. This study employs a qualitative approach using a literature review method, examining various sources such as books, academic journals, and relevant policy documents. Data were analyzed inductively to understand the relationship between affirmative policies and local political realities in Papua. The findings indicate that the 30% quota policy is often implemented merely as an administrative requirement without substantive political support for female candidates. Patriarchal culture, limited political capital, and non-inclusive party recruitment systems remain major barriers. Furthermore, there is a gap between descriptive and substantive representation of women in legislative institutions. In conclusion, the low level of women’s political representation in Papua is not solely due to regulatory shortcomings but also influenced by social and political structures that do not support gender equality. Comprehensive efforts are needed, including strengthening women’s political capacity, reforming internal party systems, and transforming cultural norms to achieve more inclusive political representation.