Conceptualizing Authority of the Legalization of Indonesian Women’s Rights in Islamic Family Law

Various studies on Islamic family law (IFL) in Indonesia demonstrate an enduring paradigm of patriarchal culture both in ideas and practical applications. This is a logical consequence of the attempts to enact the traditional Islamic doctrines in modern law. The domination of this culture in the IFL, that has resulted in the discrimination against women in Indonesia, has reached the alarming level calling for revision. The reform attempts also are needed in other other derivative legal products, such as local sharia regulation. All these efforts are needed in order to ensure justice and equal rights of children and women. This paper attempts to conceptualize a construction of patriarchal authority in legalizing the rights, role, and status of gender in Indonesia. The finding reveals that reconstruction of authority in the modern legislation of Islamic Family Law should be started with ensuring the equal rights of women both in the legal and judicial aspects. This requires involving women in an appropriate proportion within the making of public policy, family law legislation. Another needed strategy is advocacy of women's rights in order to avoid legal gender bias due to the political and legislative authorities dominated by male group.