Open access Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026) · pp. 115-127

Sustainable Governance Strategies forCivil Society Organizations in Indonesia

Navigating Institutional Challenges and Democratic Resilience

Authors

  • Gandisa Pangestuti Kiswoyo Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta
  • Adam Nurfaizi Rosyan Universitas Indonesia
  • Resa Septia Nugroho Universitas Diponegoro
Abstract

Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Indonesia play an important role in strengthening social development and democratic processes; however, their governance continues to face a range of challenges that limit their effectiveness. This study aims to analyze CSO governance in Indonesia by examining both enabling and inhibiting factors, particularly those related to human resources, funding, and public legitimacy, and to formulate strategies for strengthening the role of CSOs. This study employed a qualitative method with a literature review approach, drawing on reports, academic articles, and policy documents. The findings indicate that CSOs contribute to various programs in the areas of social welfare, community empowerment, and democratic participation, yet they are often constrained by weak leadership capacity, limited organizational management, dependence on unstable funding sources, and declining public trust resulting from cases of abuse of authority. To address these challenges, this study draws on the collaborative governance framework of Ansell and Gash, which emphasizes strategies such as building trust, maintaining commitment, fostering shared understanding, engaging private actors, sharing resources, and strengthening societal legitimacy. The study concludes that effective CSO governance requires synergy between internal organizational reform and collaborative strategies involving the state, the private sector, and society more broadly, thereby enabling CSOs to maximize their role as partners in sustainable social development and democratic governance in Indonesia.

Keywords
  • Civil Society Organizations
  • Sustainability
  • Collaborative Governance
  • Communities
References
  1. Alawiyah, T. (2013). Religious non-governmental organizations and philanthropy in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 3(2), 203. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.v3i2.203-221
  2. Ansell, C., & Gash, A. (2008). Collaborative Governance in Theory and Practice. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 18(4), 543–571. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mum032
  3. Anwar, K., Saefulloh, A., Surawan, S., Nalus, S., & Zuzanti, Z. (2025). Dayak Ngaju Customary Sanctions as a Rehabilitation Mechanism for Drug Addicts in Central Kalimantan. El-Mashlahah, 15(1), 165–188. https://doi.org/10.23971/el-mashlahah.v15i1.9813
  4. Azhar, M. A., Singh, R. K., & Rahman, Md. M. (2026). The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Democratic Consolidation: Evidence from Emerging Economies. Emerging Perspective in Social and Politics, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.53623/epsp.v1i1.1109
  5. Dewi, M. K., Manochin, M., & Belal, A. (2019). Marching with the volunteers. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 32(4), 1117–1145. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-10-2016-2727
  6. Dewi, M. K., Manochin, M., & Belal, A. (2021). Towards a conceptual framework of beneficiary accountability by NGOs: An Indonesian case study. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 80, 102130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2019.102130
  7. Dushkova, D., & Ivlieva, O. (2024). Empowering Communities to Act for a Change: A Review of the Community Empowerment Programs towards Sustainability and Resilience. Sustainability, 16(19), 8700. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198700
  8. Firmansyah, M. A. (2025, May 14). Revisi UU Ormas, Jalan Regulasi Kawat Berduri. Https://Bandungbergerak.Id/Article/Detail/1599179/Revisi-Uu-Ormas-Jalan-Regulasi-Kawat-Berduri.
  9. Gustafsson, N., Holmberg, N., Weinryb, N., & Larsson, A. O. (2025). In the Mood for Likes: A Longitudinal Study of Civil Society Organizations’ Emotional Communication on Social Media. Social Media + Society, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051251337220
  10. Hadi, B. (2023). Laporan Asesmen Organisasi Kemasyarakatan 2023. https://seknasfitra.org/laporan-asesmen-organisasi-kemasyarakatan-2023/
  11. Haruna, A. I. (2025). Electoral Politics and Democratic Governance in Ghana: The Role of Civil Society Organizations. Journal of Power, Politics & Governance. https://doi.org/10.15640/jppg.v11p1
  12. Holid, M., & Izzatusholekha, I. (2024). Implementation of the Grant Policy for Mass Organizations/Religious Institutions in DKI Jakarta. Daengku: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Innovation, 4(5), 806–819. https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.daengku2824
  13. Kemenko PMK. (2022, March 30). Sangat Besar, Peran Ormas Wujudkan Demokrasi Inklusif di Indonesia. Https://Www.Kemenkopmk.Go.Id/Sangat-Besar-Peran-Ormas-Wujudkan-Demokrasi-Inklusif-Di-Indonesia.
  14. Kumi, E., Amoah, S. K., & Tsiboe-Darko, A. (2025). A Critical Reflection on the Contributions and Barriers of Local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to National Development in Ghana. Forum for Development Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039410.2025.2502344
  15. Lestari, A., Anggara, I. P., & Anita, E. (2024). Multi-Sector Collaboration in Community Empowerment. Jurnal Noken: Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial, 10(1), 245–254. https://doi.org/10.33506/jn.v10i1.3452
  16. Lubis, R. B. (2025). Provinsi dengan Ormas Terbanyak 2024. Https://Goodstats.Id/Infographic/Provinsi-Dengan-Ormas-Terbanyak-2024-L5gvt.
  17. Nanda, D. H. (2020). CSR dan Pendanaan LSM di Yogyakarta. Tuturlogi, 1(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.21776/ub.tuturlogi.2020.001.01.3
  18. OECD. (2022). The Protection and Promotion of Civic Space Strengthening Alignment With International Standards and Guidance. https://doi.org/10.1787/d234e975-en
  19. Poti, J., & Khairie Ahmad, M. (2021). The Role of Civil Society in Democracy in Indonesia Post 1998 Reform. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 10(4), 811–816. https://doi.org/10.21275/SR21416104307
  20. Pusat Kajian Politik. (2024). Analisis Sosial Terhadap Ekosistem Ruang Sipil dan Kerentanan Masyarakat Sipil di Indonesia.
  21. Puteh, F., Wan, P. M., Ali, A., & Tuan Ismail, T. N. (2024). Impact evaluation of SDG-driven solutions: An analysis of Economic-Social-Environment solutions and Return on Value (ROV). Journal of Technical Education and Training, 16(2),248-259. https://doi.org/10.30880/jtet.2024.16.02.022
  22. Rigoni, R., Tammi, T., van der Gouwe, D., & Schatz, E. (2021). Harm reduction in Europe: a framework for civil society-led monitoring. Harm Reduction Journal, 18(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-020-00451-7
  23. Rusfiana, Y., & Kurniasih, D. (2024). The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Promoting Social and Political Change in Indonesia. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 11(3), 187–206. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2154
  24. Setiawan, K. M. P., & Tomsa, D. (2023). Defending a Vulnerable yet Resilient Democracy: Civil Society Activism in Jokowi’s Indonesia. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 42(3), 350–371. https://doi.org/10.1177/18681034231209058
  25. Shahib, H. M., Sukoharsono, E. G., Achsin, M., & Prihatiningtias, Y. W. (2020). Developing Local Government’s Socioenvironmental Accountability: Insights from Indonesian Socioenvironmental NGOs’ Annual Reports (pp. 27–54). https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-359820200000009003
  26. Sijabat, F. L., Lai, H. J., & Kuo, C. Y. (2025). Civil society–government collaboration in the delivery of care services for older people in Indonesia. Educational Gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2025.2486485
  27. Subekti, T., & Khurun’in, I. (2020). Online Activism of Social Community in Handling Social Issues in The City Of Malang. Jurnal READ (Research of Empowerment and Development), 1(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.20884/1.read.2020.1.1.2385
  28. Tampubolon, M., & Silaban, P. (2020). Juridical Analysis of the Enactment of Government Regulation on the Right of Assembly in Indonesia. International Journal of Law and Society, 3(3), 123. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijls.20200303.17
  29. Taraza, E., Anastasiadou, S., Seremeti, L., & Masouras, A. (2024). Environmental, Social, and Governance of Businesses and Organizations and the Role of Human Resources (pp. 116–132). https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-2991-7.ch006
  30. Tsara, E., & Zinyama, T. (2022). Strategic Human Resources Management for Public Sector Entities in Zimbabwe: Needs, Scope and Possibilities. In Transformational Human Resources Management in Zimbabwe (pp. 135–150). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-4629-5_9
  31. van Wessel, M., Manchanda, R., & Deo, N. (2025). How civil society in India is marginalized. Civic space as relational process. Journal of Civil Society. https://doi.org/10.1080/17448689.2025.2515038
  32. Vretenar, N., Jardas Antonić, J., & Gulam, M. (2020). Steering the volunteering – Data Envelopment Analysis of volunteers’ retention efficiency in civil society units. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 18(2), 219–230. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.18(2).2020.19
  33. Wardani, R. (2024). Perkembangan Arah Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) serta Civil Society di Indonesia: Periode 2024-2025. Jurnal Sosial Teknologi, 4(9), 669–679. https://doi.org/10.59188/jurnalsostech.v4i9.1381
  34. Yunanto, S., Damayanti, A., -, S., Shabana, A., Setiawan, A., Syauqillah, M., -, U., Rohman, S., & Maulinardi, A. (2023). Misuse of Islamic Charity for Terrorism in Indonesia: Modus, Countermeasures, and Challenges. Studies in Social Science Research, 4(3), p1. https://doi.org/10.22158/sssr.v4n3p1
Downloads
PDF
Record
License

Copyright (c) 2026 Gandisa Pangestuti Kiswoyo, Adam Nurfaizi Rosyan, Resa Septia Nugroho

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Sustainable Governance Strategies forCivil Society Organizations in Indonesia: Navigating Institutional Challenges and Democratic Resilience. (2026). Bestuurskunde: Journal of Governmental Studies, 6(2), 115-127. https://doi.org/10.53013/bestuurskunde.6.2.115-127

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Indexed by