Kamala CHANDRAKIRANA was our keynote speaker for the morning session. She is an independent expert on women’s human rights and an activist on a wide range of social justice issues. During the first decade of Indonesia’s post-authoritarian reform, she played a leading role building Indonesia’s national mechanism for women’s human rights as well as founding coalitions, initiatives and organizations on women’s rights, human rights, transitional justice, social justice, progressive Islam, poverty and democracy within civil society. From 2011 until 2017, Kamala was a member of the Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice, an independent reporting mechanism created by the UN Human Rights Council.

In her work, at national, regional and international levels, Kamala focuses on building coalitions and alliances, setting up public accountability systems, and developing innovative participatory research for rights-based advocacy. In all her areas of interest, she works through networks and strategies linking the local to national, regional and international levels of engagements.

Kamala is also an editor of the book "Transforming Humanity", where she reflects the life and the visionary writings of her father SOEDJATMOKO, one of the prominent intellectuals during the founding of the Indonesian Republic and during the tenure of President Sukarno.