Indonesian Catholics criticize the government's plan to introduce an anti-LGBT curriculum in schools

In early July 2026, the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs announced the development of educational materials aimed at preventing the spread of LGBT culture. The program is designed to be integrated into formal education curricula, starting from the 4th grade of primary school through high school, as well as in madrasahs, Islamic boarding schools, and religious higher education institutions. According to Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Muhammad Syafii, this measure is a consequence of Presidential Regulation No. 111 of 2025, which classifies the spread of LGBT culture as a non-military threat to national defense.

As reported by the Catholic organization New Ways Ministry , several representatives of the country’s Catholic community have criticized this initiative. Father Otto Gusti Madung, a Catholic priest and head of the Ledalero Institute of Philosophy and Creative Technology, stated that attempts to criminalize certain groups of the population violate basic human rights, and the state has an obligation to protect the rights of all citizens. LGBT activist and transgender Catholic Hendrika Mayora Viktoria noted that such a decision would exacerbate discrimination against minorities and indicates a regression in matters of equality in the country.