Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) is targeting the integration of material on preventing the spread of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) culture into the curriculum to begin at the end of the year or no later than the beginning of the 2027 new academic year.
Deputy Minister of Religion Romo Muhammad Syafi'i conveyed this target when opening the agenda for a "Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Preventing the Spread of LGBTQ Culture" on Tuesday October 27.
"The Ministry of Religion is targeting the insertion or integration of educational material to prevent the spread of LGBTQ culture into the curriculum. We can start this year. This means that once it's finished, the material is okay, we can start. Maybe we can start in the last three months, or at the latest at the beginning of the 2027 new academic year", said Syafi'i in a written statement Wednesday October 28.
This material is also planned to be a reference for religious leaders and instructors who interact directly with the community. Apart from the educational approach, the Ministry of Religion is discussing a religious approach by involving the views of various religions in Indonesia.
"And of course this will also be a reference material for ustaz [Islamic school teachers], priests, religious instructors who are in direct contact, in contact with the community. We are bringing the same reference material because it is the result of ideas from the Ministry of Religion as an institution together with experts which we discussed it with through meetings like this", he added.
The Focus Discussion Group involved religious leaders and academics. Syafi'i said that religious approaches would be part of the discussion material, taking into account the views and interpretations of each religion.
"This approach will lay down the views of all religions in Indonesia towards LGBTQ. It may be that the arguments and interpretations of each religion are different, but all religious teachings definitely have a theology of marriage or regarding offspring and living in pairs. This perspective will be the moral and spiritual basis for us to prevent the spread of LGBTQ culture", he said.
Apart from that, the Ministry of Religion discussed strengthening families through creating a religious environment as well as open and respectful communication between family members.
"The family is the main fortress in protecting children and family members from LGBTQ influences. This step can be started by creating a religious climate in family relationships. Building warm, open, respectful communication and a high sense of trust towards each family member", said Syafi'i.
LGBTQ is a vulnerable group that often experiences criminalisation and violence. Most countries in the world still have heterosexual norms which result in the emergence of intolerant attitudes towards gender identity or expression and sexual orientation outside of these dominant norms.
About 19 years ago, at least 29 international human rights experts from 25 countries met in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta and agreed to a written agreement around the principle of protecting basic LGBT rights.
But the Yogyakarta Principles (2007), which were released as global guidelines for efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination for LGBT groups (Principle On the Application of International Human Rights Law in Relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity), have not been implemented properly by the Indonesian government.
According to National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), violence against LGBT groups continues to occur, and acts of harassment, exclusion, mistreatment, arbitrary detention, and bullying, especially in schools, are still ongoing to this day.
Yet freedom of association are part of citizens' rights which cannot be reduced on any basis (non-derogable rights) bearing in mind that the use of the terms gay, lesbian, waria (transgender woman) as the name of an institution (organisation) is considered to invite polemics in society which leads to greater violence and exclusion. (yoa/ryn)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Kemenag Targetkan Materi Cegah Budaya LGBT Masuk Kurikulum Akhir Tahun".]
