Chairperson of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), Andy Yentriyani. (ANTARA/HO-Komnas Perempuan)
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has condemned a sexist statement made by House of Representatives member Ahmad Dhani.
Dhani's suggestion to arrange marriages between retired foreign footballers and Indonesian women has been deemed insulting to women as well as derogatory to Indonesia's dignity.
"Ahmad Dhani's statement insults women because it places women as mere child-reproducing machines, sexual servants of husbands," Komnas Perempuan Chairperson Andy Yentriyani said here on Thursday.
According to Yentriyani, Dhani's statement goes against Indonesia's commitment to gender equality and justice, as stipulated in Law Number 7 of 1984 concerning the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.
CEDAW mandates that public officials, including policy makers in Indonesia, refrain from discriminating against women and take strategic steps to eliminate such discrimination, she explained.
"Considering that Ahmad Dhani's statement has the potential to violate women's human rights, harm the image, honor, and authority of the Indonesian House of Representatives—especially Commission X—which also oversees the education sector, Komnas Perempuan encourages the House of Representatives' Honorary Council to further investigate this case," Yentriyani said.
Dhani made the sexist comment during a hearing with Commission X of the House of Representatives, the Youth and Sports Ministry, and the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) on Wednesday.
He proposed that world-class footballers aged 40 and above marry Indonesian women to produce talented offspring who can be trained as national team players.
Dhani even justified his idea by saying that if the naturalized football players were Muslim, they could marry up to four women—referencing Islamic polygamy.
The Indonesian Marriage Law and the Compilation of Islamic Law regulate strict conditions and requirements for polygamy.
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Translator: Anita Permata Dewi, Yashinta DifaEditor: Rahmad Nasution Copyright © ANTARA 2025