Detected women politicians keep fighting<\/p>\n
A. Junaidi, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although women politicians who missed out on seats in the House
\nof Representatives have accepted their failure, they have vowed
\nto continue their fight for the political rights of women.<\/p>\n
Only 61 of around 2,500 women legislative candidates made it
\nto the House following the April 5 polls, or only 11 percent of
\nthe 550 elected lawmakers. The percentage is far from the 30
\npercent quota for women recommended by Law 12\/2003 on general
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Among those who failed to secure a House seat were Miranty
\nAbidin, deputy chairwoman of the National Mandate Party (PAN),
\nEva K. Sundari of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI-P), movie actress Nurul Arifin of the Golkar Party and Maria
\nUlfah of the National Awakening Party (PKB).<\/p>\n
\"We (women politicians) are keeping in touch with each other
\nand continuing our struggle in politics,\" Miranty, who was
\nnominated for the Jakarta electoral district, told The Jakarta
\nPost on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Many of the women legislative candidates who were denied entry
\nto the legislature have joined the Indonesian Women's Politicians
\nCaucus (KPPI) and pledged to remain active in their respective
\npolitical parties.<\/p>\n
Miranty said the women politicians had promised to support
\ncolleagues who had secured House seats in the form of assistance
\nthey would need in dealing with bills related to women.<\/p>\n
\"We have identified several bills that affect women currently
\nin the House. We will help our friends in the House prepare for
\nbill deliberations,\" Miranty, who is the president of Fortune
\npublic relations and advertising firm, said.<\/p>\n
Many non-governmental organizations are pushing for the
\nendorsement of bills and review of laws deemed to inadequately
\naddress women's rights, including the bills on domestic violence
\nand on migrant worker protection and laws on marriage and on
\nhealth.<\/p>\n
Eva, an economist in East Java, agreed with Miranty, saying
\nshe would continue helping PDI-P promote women's rights.<\/p>\n
\"I was often called by my party colleagues to share their
\ndisappointment with the election results. I promised to help them
\nevaluate what went wrong with us,\" Eva said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Maria Ulfah said she would resume her social
\nactivities besides contributing ideas to the party.<\/p>\n
Maria chairs Fatayat, the women's wing of the country's
\nlargest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).<\/p>\n
Both Maria and Eva said they spent over Rp 100 million
\n(US$11,000) each to buy party paraphernalia and finance
\ngatherings with their supporters.<\/p>\n
Separately, Nursanita Nasution from the Prosperous Justice
\nParty (PKS), who was elected a House member, agreed that women
\npoliticians should not give up but should continue their
\npolitical activities.<\/p>\n
\"I welcome advice and assistance from women politicians who
\nfailed to secure legislative seats,\" said Nursanita, who
\nrepresents the Jakarta electoral district.<\/p>\n
Many women politicians secured more votes than their male
\ncounterparts, but did not win seats only because they were placed
\nbehind the men on party priority lists. The Elections Law says a
\nparty has the right to select their representatives in the
\nlegislative bodies in the case of candidates failing to garner
\nthe minimum number of votes.<\/p>\n
Ani Sutjipto of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) said
\nthe women legislative candidates had been robbed of their seats.<\/p>\n
\"There should be changes to the Elections Law and political
\nparties' appreciation of women politicians,\" Ani, who is a
\nlecturer at the University of Indonesia, said.<\/p>\n
Women's representation in the House of Representatives:
\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
\nTerm number of women number of men
\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
\n1950 - 1955 9 (3.8%) 236 (96.2%)
\n1955 - 1960 17 (6.3%) 272 (93.7%)
\n1956 - 1959 25 (5.1%) 488 (94.9%)
\n1971 - 1977 36 (7.8%) 460 (92.2%)
\n1977 - 1982 29 (6.3%) 460 (93.7%)
\n1982 - 1987 39 (8.5%) 460 (91.5%)
\n1987 - 1992 65 (13%) 500 (87%)
\n1992 - 1997 62 (12.5%) 500 (87.5%)
\n1997 - 1999 54 (10.8%) 500 (89.2%)
\n1999 - 2004 46 (9%) 500 (91%)
\n2004 - 2009 61 (11%) 489 (89%)
\n--------------------------------------------------------------------
\nSource: Cetro<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/detected-women-politicians-keep-fighting-1447893297",
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