ROLE THEORY ANALYSIS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, LEGAL AID INSTITUTIONS, AND SOCIETY IN THE WOMEN’S PROTECTION SYSTEM IN YOGYAKARTA

Abstract

The protection of women is a crucial issue in Indonesia’s legal and human rights system, given the persistently high rates of violence against women in Yogyakarta. Although regulations such as Law No. 12 of 2022 on TPKS and Law No. 23 of 2004 on PKDRT are in place, their implementation still faces a gap between the state’s normative role and actual practices on the ground, thereby creating an opening for civil society intervention. This study analyzes the role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) including Legal Aid Institutions (LBH) and Non-Governmental Organizations (LSM) in the women’s protection system in Yogyakarta through the lens of role theory, while also examining how the government should position itself as the primary responsible party. The study employs a qualitative method with an empirical-juridical approach, utilizing case studies, documentation, and interviews. The findings indicate that, in the cases analyzed, NGOs demonstrated more responsive role performance compared to state actors and even functioned as corrective actors when formal state mechanisms experienced role failure as illustrated by the advocacy efforts of LBH Yogyakarta in a sexual violence case at the Islamic University of Indonesia and the support provided by Rifka Annisa in a case at an Islamic boarding school. This situation reflects a pattern of the state shifting its responsibilities to civil society. This study offers recommendations for the government, including the provision of self-reliance protection services, strengthening the capacity of law enforcement officials with a victim-centered perspective, ensuring protection for human rights defenders, and strengthening the state’s coordinating function through an institutionalized referral system. The study concludes that effective protection of women requires a clear and collaborative division of roles among the government, NGOs, and the public, while still placing the state as the primary responsible party.