Setara Institute

What Setara Institute does

SETARA Institute is a Jakarta-based non-profit research and policy advocacy organization founded in 2005 to promote democracy, human rights, tolerance, and pluralism in Indonesia. Operating with a team of 16 staff including specialized researchers across five program pillars — Freedom of Religion/Belief, Human Security and Security Sector Reform, Law and Constitution, Prevention of Violent Extremism, and Business and Human Rights — the organization produces annual research reports, policy analyses, press releases, training modules, and measurement indices. Its proprietary measurement products include the City Tolerance Index (Indeks Kota Toleran, IKT), the Indonesia Social Inclusion Index (IISI), and the Human Rights Index (Indeks HAM), which use Likert scale 1-7 scoring to track tolerance and inclusion across Indonesian cities and regions. The IKT is described as the only city-level tolerance index of its kind in the world.

The organization's revenue model is donation-based, with contributions from individuals, organizations, and institutions supporting independent research, policy advocacy, and capacity-building work. SETARA serves four primary customer segments: national and local government institutions (including the Ministry of Home Affairs, BPIP, and BNPT, which have used its research in policy formulation), civil society organizations, vulnerable and marginalized groups (religious minorities, people with disabilities, women, indigenous peoples), and — more recently — the business sector for responsible business conduct research. Its go-to-market is community-led and policy-driven, with dissemination through direct stakeholder engagement, coalition partnerships, digital publications, and media coverage. Strategic partnerships span academic institutions, civil society coalitions, and government ministries, with the organization producing flagship publications such as the Desain Transformasi Polri (Police Transformation Blueprint) and the annual Kondisi Kebebasan Beragama/Berkeyakinan (KBB) report.

Name

Setara Institute

Legal name

SETARA Institute

Website

https://setara-institute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SETARA Institute is an Indonesian non-profit research and policy advocacy organization founded in 2005, producing measurement indices (City Tolerance Index, Social Inclusion Index, Human Rights Index) and policy research on democracy, human rights, tolerance, and security sector reform for government ministries, civil society, and vulnerable groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Governance, Democracy & Rule of Law (BPAGABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Human rights advocacy
• Tolerance measurement
• Security sector reform
• Think tank publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Jakarta Selatan

HQ country

Indonesia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Support: SETARA Institute operates primarily through donations and support from individuals, organizations, and institutions. They accept contributions to fund independent research, policy advocacy, and capacity-building work. The donation process involves contacting the SETARA team, coordination and agreement on scheme/program requirements, and formal confirmation with usage reporting.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SETARA Institute is a research and policy advocacy organization that produces knowledge products on democracy, human rights, freedom of religion/belief, security sector reform, constitutional law, prevention of violent extremism, and business and human rights in Indonesia. Its core deliverables are proprietary annual measurement indices (City Tolerance Index, Social Inclusion Index, Human Rights Index), thematic research reports, and policy blueprint publications such as the Police Transformation Blueprint, distributed free to government, civil society, academia, and the public. The organization combines monitoring, advocacy, and capacity-building services across five program pillars for government ministries, civil society partners, and vulnerable communities.

Product overview

SETARA Institute operates as a research and policy advocacy organization offering a portfolio of knowledge products centered on democracy, human rights, and social inclusion in Indonesia. The core offerings include measurement indices (Indeks Kota Toleran, Indeks Inklusi Sosial Indonesia, Indeks HAM) that track and visualize tolerance and inclusion across Indonesian regions, annual research reports on freedom of religion/belief conditions, policy blueprint publications like the Desain Transformasi Polri, press releases, and training modules. The organization functions as a think tank producing data-driven knowledge products rather than a technology product company, with publications available as PDFs and ebooks through their website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Indeks Kota Toleran (IKT): City Tolerance Index - measurement model developed by SETARA to assess tolerance levels in Indonesian cities
• Indeks Inklusi Sosial Indonesia (IISI)
• Indeks HAM

Products and services

• Indeks Kota Toleran (IKT) - City Tolerance Index Annual measurement index tracking tolerance levels across Indonesian cities and regions. Uses a Likert scale 1-7 to measure inclusion and tolerance, with data visualized by regional territory. Produced for government ministries, civil society, academia, and the general public.
• Indeks Inklusi Sosial Indonesia (IISI) - Indonesia Social Inclusion Index Annual index measuring social inclusion across Indonesia, providing visualization of inclusion scores by regional territory. Used by government agencies and civil society to track inclusion landscapes at the regional level.
• Indeks HAM - Human Rights Index Annual measurement of human rights performance in Indonesia, providing a national reference for the state of human rights advancement.
• Desain Transformasi Polri - Police Transformation Blueprint Comprehensive e-book blueprint for Indonesian National Police (Polri) transformation covering structural, instrumental, and cultural reform, identifying 130 problems and proposing 12 transformation themes with 50 detailed action items. Aimed at policymakers, police leadership, and civil society advocates of security sector reform.
• Laporan Kondisi Kebebasan Beragama/Berkeyakinan (KBB) Annual monitoring report tracking violations of freedom of religion and belief in Indonesia, documenting incidents and providing policy recommendations. Published annually since 2008 and used by government, civil society, and international observers.
• CiDIA (Cipta Data dan Informasi untuk Advokasi) Series Data creation and information initiative for advocacy, producing analytical reports on constitutional and legal issues including interfaith marriage rights. Targeted at legal advocates, civil society, and policymakers working on constitutional rights.
• Praktik Bisnis yang Bertanggung Jawab Study Study on responsible business practices in palm oil plantation and mining sectors in Indonesia, providing evidence and recommendations for companies and civil society on human rights due diligence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research findings and policy recommendations have been used as reference by Ministry of Home Affairs, BPIP, and BNPT in policy formulation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Universitas Halu OleominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025University that partnered with SETARA Institute for the dissemination and public seminar on Responsible Mining in the Nickel Sector in Southeast Sulawesi in 2025.
• Koalisi ASPIRASI AcehcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership in 2024 where SETARA supported the coalition's program that provided space for activities tailored to local context, enabling deeper engagement in electoral processes and bringing marginalized group issues into candidate debates.
• Jaringan Paralegal Indonesia (JPI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partner in qualitative research on social accountability challenges in village development, conducted in Pringsewu District (Lampung) and other areas.
• Constitutional Democracy Forum (CDF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Joint partner in producing constitutional democracy studies and press releases, including work on Constitutional Court issues and recommendations for the MK (Mahkamah Konstitusi).
• Kementerian Dalam Negeri (Ministry of Home Affairs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership where SETARA Institute's research findings and recommendations have been used as reference by the Ministry of Home Affairs in formulating policies related to tolerance, diversity, and inclusion. The Minister has directly appreciated SETARA's development of the City Tolerance Index measurement model.
• Badan Pembinaan Ideologia Pancasila (BPIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBPIP has utilized SETARA Institute's research findings in formulating policies concerning tolerance, diversity, and state ideology as part of Pancasila ideological development efforts.
• Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme (BNPT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBNPT has referenced SETARA Institute's research in formulating policies related to tolerance, diversity, and prevention of violent extremism as part of national counter-terrorism efforts.
• Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Indonesia (PGI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in accompanying GKI Yasmin church case alongside SETARA, LBH Jakarta, ANBTI, KontraS, HRWG, and ILRC in advocating for religious freedom.
• LBH JakartaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal aid organization that partnered with SETARA in accompanying the GKI Yasmin case and other human rights advocacy efforts.
• Aliansi Nasional Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (ANBTI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil society alliance partner in advocating for religious freedom and constitutional rights in the GKI Yasmin case.
• KontraS (Komisi Untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman rights organization partner in joint advocacy efforts including the GKI Yasmin case and broader human rights issues.
• Human Rights Working Group (HRWG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil society partner in human rights advocacy and accompaniment of victims of discrimination and intolerance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Badan Litbang dan Diklat Kementerian Agama RI: Government research arm of Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs, producing research on religious harmony and interfaith relations. Comparable focus on FoRB data but state-affiliated rather than independent.

Emerging players

• PushkaB (Pusat Studi Hak Asasi Manusia Universitas Islam Indonesia): Indonesian academic human rights center focusing on law, policy, and human rights education. Comparable research output but with academic rather than advocacy orientation, serving as a complementary ecosystem player.

Direct peers

• ICW (Indonesia Corruption Watch): Indonesian civil society organization focused on government accountability and policy advocacy. Similar model of rigorous research informing government policy critique, with comparable size and scale.
• KontraS (Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan): Indonesian human rights commission focused on victims of violence and state accountability. Setara's named partner but operates with overlapping mandate on security sector reform and human rights advocacy.
• Elsam (Lembaga Studi dan Advokasi Masyarakat): Indonesian policy research and advocacy institute focused on human rights, constitutional law, and civil liberties. Comparable to Setara's law and constitution pillar and advocacy methodology.
• PSHK (Pusat Studi Hukum dan Kebijakan): Indonesian legal policy research center focused on law reform, constitutional issues, and judicial independence. Compares directly to Setara's constitutional law and policy advocacy work.
• Imparsial: Indonesian human rights organization focused on security sector reform, civilian protection, and human rights monitoring. Directly comparable to Setara's security sector reform and human rights program pillars.
• The Wahid Institute: Indonesian NGO focused on pluralism, religious freedom, and human rights research and advocacy. Closest direct peer to Setara given shared focus on tolerance, FoRB monitoring, and government engagement in Indonesia.

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch (Indonesia coverage): Global human rights organization with extensive Indonesia coverage on FoRB, security sector reform, and minority rights. Larger and broader scope than Setara but overlapping thematic focus.
• Amnesty International Indonesia: Indonesian chapter of global human rights organization with broad mandate on FoRB, civil liberties, and state accountability. Competes for similar advocacy outcomes and donor funding, with much larger international backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/setara-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Setara Institute