Reframing inclusive governance through equitable leadership in child sexual violence policy: Evidence from Surakarta City, Indonesia

This article investigates inclusive governance through equitable leadership in local child sexual violence policy in Surakarta City, Indonesia. This study argues that without equitable leadership, namely relational, distributed, and pro-vulnerable group leadership, inclusive governance tends to be procedural and ineffective. This study differs from previous studies that emphasize the importance of participation, collaboration, and accountability, but have not yet placed leadership as a key element. This research uses a multi-method design, combining a systematic literature review (SLR) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with 10 local stakeholders in Surakarta City. Surakarta City was selected purposively because it is quite progressive in addressing children's rights issues, having received an award as a child-friendly city at the national level, yet an increase in cases of sexual violence still occurs. The findings were synthesized into eight principles of equitable leadership: justice-oriented leadership, equitable institutional reform, disrupting the status quo, moral courage, community-oriented leadership, gender-diverse strategic leadership, recognition of indigenous leadership, and equity-minded leadership training. The proposed leadership model provides a conceptual framework for interpreting leadership dynamics within local child protection governance. This study can positioning leadership as a key enabling dimension in the functioning of local child protection governance in regions to be free from sexual violence, and contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.2, which aims to end abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children through a local approach that can be replicated in the context of developing countries. • Introduces equitable leadership as a missing dimension in inclusive governance. • Employs a multi-method design combining SLR and FGD with multi-stakeholders. • Identifies six dimensions of just leadership bridging theory and practice in policy. • Demonstrates how leadership drives institutional coherence in child protection systems. • Offers a replicable framework contributing to SDG 16.2 through local policy reform.