RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The French and German governments officially presented the 2025 Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law to Dwi Rubiyanti Kholifah, known as Ruby Kholifah, Representative of the Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) Indonesia. 

The ceremony, held at the German Ambassador’s residence in Jakarta recently, honored her nearly two decades of dedication to peace, human rights, and women’s leadership.

Ruby earned global recognition for consistently applying the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) lens to advance justice and civil liberties through grassroots and religious engagement. 

Since 2016, France and Germany have marked Human Rights Day on December 10th by honoring defenders committed to human dignity and the rule of law. German Ambassador to Indonesia Ralf Beste praised Ruby’s ability to integrate the WPS agenda with Islam Rahmatan lil ‘Alamin, promoting Islam as a blessing for all creation. 

He emphasized that engaging religious leaders and grassroots actors is vital against polarization and misuse of religion to justify violence. He highlighted AMAN Indonesia and the Women Ulama Congress (KUPI) as inspirations for inclusive, gender-sensitive Islam.

French Ambassador Fabien Penon added that Ruby symbolizes democracy, diversity, and respect for human rights, showing how civil society nurtures humanity in complex times.

In her acceptance speech, Ruby stressed that the award honors collective civil society efforts. She noted women’s movements often defend democracy amid shrinking civic spaces and rising intolerance. 

Data from WALHI North Sumatra recorded 19 cases of criminalization against environmental defenders in 2024, while Komnas HAM documented 2,305 alleged human rights violations, including attacks on freedom of expression.

“For me, peace cannot exist without women’s rights, leadership, and participation,” Ruby said. 

Over 18 years, AMAN Indonesia has worked in 56 villages with 300 partners to build peace from the ground up. Through 59 Women’s Schools, the organization empowers women as mediators and peace agents. Its “Sustainable Peaceful Village” program strengthens democracy and resilience, addressing corruption and social-ecological challenges.

Despite UN Women data showing only 5.5 percent of village heads are women, AMAN continues to push for female leadership. The SETARA Institute recorded 260 religious freedom violations in 2024, underscoring the urgency of AMAN’s work.

Through 99 Reflective Structured Dialogues (RSD) under the Indonesia Berdialog program, AMAN has reopened places of worship, reintegrated former terrorism convicts, and supported victims of violence. AMAN’s approach ensures reintegration through community participation. In Sigi, Central Sulawesi, RSD gave victims of terrorism a safe space to demand accountability.

Ruby also highlighted global challenges where conflict and climate crises disproportionately affect women and children. Freedom House 2025 reported declining civil liberties in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. She argued that true security lies in access to food, water, dignity, and protection of “Mother Earth.”

She concluded with the story of Nyadran Perdamaian in Temanggung, where citizens of different faiths gather to honor ancestors and share food. “In that simple togetherness, I see the true face of peace,” she said, urging all parties, especially EU member states, to move beyond conflict resolution and actively prevent war. ***