The Indonesian minister was criticized for proposing to change train carriage positions for women

Ms. Arifah Choiri Fauzi, Indonesian Minister of Women’s Rights and Child Protection, on April 28 visited the victims of the train accident that killed 16 women and injured 90 people in West Java province. In the incident that happened a day earlier, a long-distance train crashed into the last car, which was reserved for women, of a city train.

After the visit, she proposed placing women-only carriages in the middle of the train and “putting men at both ends”.

The proposal immediately faced criticism on social media, with some people saying she meant men’s lives were less valuable.

“Every human life is equally precious, both men and women. Men are also fathers, sons, husbands, and families with those who love and depend on them. As a state official, you should promote safety solutions to protect all passengers, instead of assuming that one gender deserves to be neglected more than the other,” account wscofficial25 commented under Ms. Arifah’s post on the social network Instagram.

In a post on her personal Instagram account and that of the Indonesian Ministry of Women’s Rights and Child Protection on April 29, Ms. Arifah said her previous statements were “inappropriate”.

“I sincerely apologize to the public, especially the victims and their families, who felt hurt or upset by this statement. I had no intention of disregarding the safety of the passengers,” she said.

Indonesian officials affirmed that safety remains the top priority for everyone, both women and men. “I understand that during this traumatic time, the focus must be on ensuring safety, supporting victims and sympathizing with all affected families,” she added.

Ms. Arifah also affirmed her commitment to psychological support, protection and provision of what is necessary, especially for children and families of victims who have suffered trauma from the train tragedy.

Women-only carriages have been in use in Indonesia since 2012 and are usually located at both ends of trains.

The most recent serious railway accident in Indonesia occurred in West Java province in January 2024, killing four train employees and injuring about 20 people. In 2015, a city train crashed into a bus at an intersection in Jakarta, killing 16 people.