Promoting Fair Employment Practices and Non-Discrimination through Institutional Ethics and Equal Opportunity Frameworks

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta recognises that equal employment opportunities, professional integrity, and fair treatment are essential foundations of a productive, inclusive, and sustainable working environment. As a public Islamic university employing academic and administrative personnel under different employment arrangements, UIN Jakarta operates within Indonesia's national public-sector and labour regulatory frameworks while maintaining institutional codes of conduct and professional ethics.

During 2024–2025, the University maintained formal employee conduct regulations and strengthened its commitment to gender equality through educational programmes, institutional recognition, and measures addressing sexual violence and related discriminatory treatment. These policies and initiatives provide an important foundation for promoting fair employment practices and supporting Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

1. Establishing Non-Discrimination in Civil Service Employment

A central foundation for fair employment practices at UIN Jakarta is Law Number 20 of 2023 concerning the State Civil Apparatus (ASN). This legislation establishes non-discrimination, justice, equality, professionalism, and merit-based management as principles governing public-sector employment.

Article 2 explicitly recognises non-discrimination as a principle of civil service management. The explanatory provisions clarify that non-discriminatory civil service management requires fair treatment without distinguishing employees on the basis of ethnicity, race, skin colour, religion, origin, sex, marital status, age, or disability-related needs. The law also provides a framework for merit-based personnel management, emphasising qualifications, competence, performance, integrity, and professional responsibility.

These principles are relevant to recruitment, appointment, placement, professional development, and other employment-related decisions concerning eligible public-sector personnel. For UIN Jakarta's civil servants and Government Employees with Employment Agreements (PPPK), the legislation provides a national regulatory foundation for employment management without prohibited discrimination.

The law also establishes expectations concerning respectful workplace conduct, including the importance of appreciating differences and maintaining a harmonious working environment. These provisions demonstrate that non-discrimination forms part of the applicable national employment framework rather than being limited to an informal institutional aspiration.

2. Recognising Equal Opportunities under Indonesian Labour Legislation

Indonesia's national labour legislation also establishes protections concerning equal employment opportunities and treatment. Law Number 13 of 2003 concerning Manpower, as amended, includes provisions relevant to employment equality. Article 5 establishes the principle of equal opportunity to obtain employment without discrimination. Article 6 recognises workers' entitlement to equal treatment without discrimination from employers.

These provisions form part of the broader national regulatory environment concerning employment practices, workplace fairness, and workers' rights. For employment arrangements falling within the applicable manpower legislation, these protections provide a legal basis for fair recruitment and treatment. As UIN Jakarta has multiple categories of academic and administrative personnel, the precise application of national public-sector and general labour provisions must be assessed according to each employee's legal employment status.

Nevertheless, these statutory provisions demonstrate the existence of established national requirements concerning equal treatment in employment.

3. Maintaining a University-Level Employee Code of Ethics

At the institutional level, UIN Jakarta maintains Rector's Decree Number 737 of 2021 concerning the Employee Code of Ethics. The decree provides formal guidance on the rights, responsibilities, professional behaviour, and conduct of University employees. Article 1 identifies the scope of the regulation as employees holding both civil servant and non-civil servant status. Article 4 establishes employees' rights, including access to administrative services, professional development opportunities, recognition of achievements, career development, legal assistance, and participation in professional organisations.

The same article requires employees to uphold human values, honesty, openness, objectivity, tolerance, respect for others, and professional responsibility. The regulation provides an institutional basis for respectful workplace interactions and appropriate professional conduct. It also establishes expectations concerning relationships between employees, supervisors, and other members of the University community.

These provisions support the development of a professional working environment in which employees are expected to maintain integrity and respect. Although the decree contains principles relevant to fair treatment, it does not explicitly enumerate every prohibited ground of workplace discrimination specified by THE Impact Rankings. It should therefore be understood as an institutional employee ethics framework rather than a verified comprehensive equal employment opportunity policy.

4. Applying Professional Conduct Standards within the Ministry of Religious Affairs

As an Islamic university within Indonesia's public higher education framework, UIN Jakarta also operates in the context of personnel regulations established by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Minister of Religious Affairs Regulation Number 12 of 2019 establishes ethical standards and professional behaviour requirements for State Civil Apparatus personnel within the Ministry.

Article 8 includes an obligation for relevant personnel to maintain professional conduct and impartiality without distinguishing individuals according to ethnicity, religion, race, or social grouping. The regulation also addresses professional responsibility, integrity, avoidance of conflicts of interest, and appropriate use of public authority. These provisions help establish behavioural expectations intended to support fair and responsible public-sector service. For the relevant UIN Jakarta employees, such standards provide an additional ethical foundation for professional conduct.

They complement the University's own Employee Code of Ethics and the broader non-discrimination principles established under national civil service legislation.

5. Establishing Procedures for Reporting Employee Ethics Violations

UIN Jakarta's Employee Code of Ethics also establishes procedures for addressing alleged violations of professional conduct. Article 8 provides a formal reporting and examination process for suspected employee ethics violations.

Under the regulation, allegations may be submitted in writing to the appropriate University authorities, including faculty leadership, directors, unit supervisors, or the Rector. The procedure includes the examination of reports and supporting evidence, the involvement of relevant witnesses, the establishment of an Employee Ethics Court where required, and the determination of appropriate sanctions. Article 9 further provides a procedure through which employees subject to ethics decisions may submit written objections.

These arrangements demonstrate that the University has established a formal mechanism for addressing breaches of employee conduct standards. Such mechanisms are relevant to institutional accountability and professional fairness.

However, the employee ethics procedure has not been verified as a specialised complaint mechanism covering every form of workplace discrimination listed in Indicator 8.2.3.

6. Promoting Gender Equality through University Programmes

In addition to its regulatory framework, UIN Jakarta has implemented institutional programmes supporting gender awareness and equitable participation. On 4–6 June 2024, the University's Center for Gender and Child Studies (PSGA) organised a three-day Focus Group Discussion addressing gender equality, women's empowerment, and gender-responsive approaches within higher education.

The event also marked the launch of the University's Gender Academy. The Gender Academy was developed as an educational initiative intended to strengthen awareness and understanding of gender-related issues among members of the University community. The programme reflects the University's recognition that policies and professional conduct standards are complemented by education and institutional awareness.

By creating opportunities for gender education and discussion, the University has sought to strengthen gender-responsive perspectives within academic life. These activities provide evidence of institutional commitment to gender mainstreaming. They should, however, be regarded as complementary initiatives rather than direct evidence that all forms of workplace discrimination have been addressed through a comprehensive employment policy.

7. Receiving National Recognition for Gender-Responsive Institutional Development

The University's commitment to gender-responsive higher education received formal recognition in October 2024. During the Third Conference of Centers for Gender and Child Studies, organised under the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs, UIN Jakarta received the Gender-Responsive Higher Education Institution Award at the Intermediate Level (Madya).

The recognition acknowledged the University's efforts to integrate gender-responsive perspectives into education, research, and community engagement. University leadership described the award as recognition of collective institutional efforts toward gender equality. The award also reflected collaboration among University leadership, PSGA, and different academic units.

This achievement provides evidence of the University's wider commitment to developing an academic institution responsive to gender equality. Nevertheless, the award is not equivalent to a certified audit of non-discrimination across all categories of University employment. It therefore serves as supporting evidence of institutional progress rather than direct proof of a comprehensive workplace anti-discrimination policy.

8. Strengthening Institutional Protection against Sexual Violence and Related Discriminatory Treatment

UIN Jakarta has also established formal safeguards through Rector's Decree Number 573 of 2022 concerning the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence. The regulation incorporates non-discrimination and gender justice into the University's prevention and response framework. Article 4 establishes a non-discriminatory principle in prevention activities, while Article 7 recognises non-discrimination and gender justice in handling reported cases.

The policy also establishes safeguards for complainants and witnesses. Article 24 provides protections concerning identity confidentiality, threats, and the continuity of education or employment. These measures are relevant to workplace protection because lecturers and administrative personnel may also be affected by sexual violence and related misconduct. During 2025, the University strengthened public awareness of these safeguards. On 15 June 2025, the Faculty of Psychology published institutional information explaining the protection of individuals reporting sexual violence.

On 16 October 2025, PSGA officially launched the University's Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Handbook. The launch involved University leadership and members of the academic community, including lecturers, administrative personnel, and students. These initiatives demonstrate continued attention to institutional protection and gender-responsive practices. The documented protection framework specifically concerns sexual violence and associated discriminatory treatment; it does not independently establish comprehensive protection against all forms of employment discrimination.

9. Strengthening Inclusive and Fair Employment Governance

Taken together, the national legal framework and institutional measures provide important foundations for promoting fair treatment in University employment. Civil service legislation establishes the principle of non-discrimination in public-sector personnel management.

National labour legislation recognises equal employment opportunities and treatment for workers within its legal scope. The University's Employee Code of Ethics establishes professional rights and responsibilities for civil servant and non-civil servant personnel. Meanwhile, gender-responsive programmes and sexual violence prevention measures contribute to institutional awareness and protection. These arrangements provide a foundation for strengthening equal employment practices across academic and administrative units. However, a comprehensive institutional anti-discrimination policy would require explicit clarification of the protected characteristics, employment categories, reporting mechanisms, and available remedies.

The documentation reviewed for 2024–2025 does not yet establish a single University-wide employment policy explicitly addressing all discrimination grounds identified under THE Impact Rankings, including sexuality and refugee status.

10. Contribution to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta demonstrates a documented commitment to fair employment governance through national employment regulations, University-level employee ethics, and initiatives promoting gender equality and institutional protection. The University's regulatory framework recognises the importance of professional conduct, equal treatment within applicable employment arrangements, employee development, and institutional accountability.

During 2024–2025, these foundations were complemented by the launch of the Gender Academy, recognition as a Gender-Responsive Higher Education Institution, and continued efforts to strengthen protection against sexual violence. Together, these documented measures demonstrate that UIN Jakarta operates within non-discriminatory employment frameworks and maintains institutional mechanisms relevant to professional fairness, gender awareness, and workplace protection. Further University-level policy documentation is required to establish comprehensive prohibition of workplace discrimination across all protected characteristics and employment categories specified by THE Impact Rankings Indicator 8.2.3.

Strengthening such documentation would support the University's continued development of fair, inclusive, and sustainable employment practices under Sustainable Development Goal 8.

Source :
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