KOMPAS.com – Mikewati Vera Tangka, Secretary General of the Indonesian Women’s Coalition (KPI), has raised concerns about the lack of female representation on the National Energy Council (DEN). She pointed out that currently, there is only one woman among the eight DEN members and even that appointment was not the result of the full selection process, but rather a replacement for a male member who resigned.
“This creates an imbalance in how energy transition policies are made, even though women have specific needs when it comes to clean energy use,” said Mike during a Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia event titled “Media Dialogue: Promoting Transparency and Inclusion in the Selection of National Energy Council Members for a Just Energy Transition”, held on Friday, June 20, 2025.
Mike emphasized that women are not just energy users they are also active agents in the transition process. They have ideas and lived experiences that are essential in shaping energy transitions that respond to daily, real-world needs.
“Imagine, in the Thousand Islands, electricity is only available for 12 hours a day. Who’s the one running around trying to make sure all the household needs are met? In the end, it’s the women,” she explained.
In areas with limited energy supply, Mike said, women are often the ones who actively ensure energy needs are met turning to alternative sources for cooking and lighting. Women tend to make holistic decisions that consider the needs of everyone around them.
“Men and women have different life experiences, and that affects how they make decisions,” she said. Therefore, if all members of the Energy Council are men, Mike argued that there’s a high risk of injustice in decision-making about energy transition.
She gave the example of an energy crisis that disrupts access to water. A man might not view it as urgent because it simply means not being able to shower. But for a woman who needs water for nearly every domestic task from morning to night that situation could be an emergency.
Mike also pointed to the example of “Mamas” in Eastern Indonesia who have become adept at operating solar panels to meet their families’ energy needs. These women have had to adapt to prolonged power outages and find ways to ensure their families’ basic energy needs are still met.
“The same goes for decision-making in the energy transition. A particular sector might not seem urgent to men, but it could be critical for women,” she explained. “So how will these voices be heard if there are no women on the National Energy Council?”
Mike stressed the importance of the 30% affirmative principle for women’s political participation. In the context of DEN, which has eight members, that would ideally mean having two to three women on the council to achieve meaningful representation.
“If no women are applying, we shouldn’t just accept it. Ask them. Invite them. Recommend potential candidates especially those with a track record in energy transition,” said Mike.
This effort, she believes, is crucial to ensuring that energy governance in Indonesia becomes more inclusive. The absence of women on the council risks creating policy gaps and reinforces decision-making that may fail to meet the diverse needs of the population especially the micro-level needs that women understand best.