Female workers still under suspicion: Lawyer<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian workers in general are afraid to
\nfight for their own interests, including to organize themselves,
\nbecause they are treated with suspicion by the authorities, an
\nactivist said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Workers still need to request permission to get together.
\nThey are suspected of jeopardizing stability,\" Nursyahbani
\nKatjasungkana, who is also a lawyer, said.<\/p>\n
\"I am afraid that recommendations (which do not address such
\nissues) are of little use.\" she said when addressing participants
\nof a seminar on women workers in the formal sector. The seminar
\nwas organized by the local offices of International Labor
\nOrganization (ILO) and United Nations Development Program.<\/p>\n
Nursyahbani said she agreed to a recommendation of a study by
\nthe ILO here regarding the need to increase worker's awareness of
\ntheir basic rights through legal literacy programs.<\/p>\n
\"However, the most important requisite to increasing awareness
\nis an open climate, to enable empowerment and access to
\ninformation,\" she said.<\/p>\n
An inconducive political condition for the rights of free
\nspeech and organizing, she said, isolates women in light of the
\nUnited Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
\nDiscrimination Against Women.<\/p>\n
\"The essence of the convention is that it can be implemented
\nas long as social and political rights can be developed,\"
\nNursyahbani said.<\/p>\n
Although Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief has dropped a
\nregulation justifying military intervention in labor disputes,
\nNursyahbani said \"at the local level, things have not changed
\nmuch.\"<\/p>\n
The ministry's assistant on labor supervision, Payaman
\nSimanjuntak, told The Jakarta Post that military intervention
\ninvolves individuals who cannot differentiate between matters to
\nbe tackled by ministry officials and those which are security
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
\"Security officers should only be called in when ministry
\nofficials feel things have gotten out of hand,\" Payaman said. \"As
\nlong as demonstrations are peaceful, there is no reason for
\nsecurity people to be called in.\"<\/p>\n
However, demonstrations should have permits from the ministry,
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
Nursyahbani also supported Minister of Women Affairs Mien
\nSugandhi's urging for employers to respect the rights of women to
\nobtain \"special\" treatment, such as maternity and menstrual
\nleaves.<\/p>\n
\"They (women workers) deserve such treatment. Giving birth
\ncannot be replaced by men, so employers must guarantee fully paid
\nmaternity leave,\" Sugandhi said.<\/p>\n
In response to opinions that such claims go against women
\nworkers' demands for equality, Nursyahbani said this is because
\nof \"the incorrect perception of a woman's nature.\"<\/p>\n
Protective legislation, such as the ruling against employing
\nwomen on night shift, is discriminative, she said, citing the
\nrecent protest of women billiard hall attendants in Surakarta,
\nCentral Java.<\/p>\n
\"Employment opportunities for women includes those which
\nrequire night hours, but it is facilities like transport and
\nsecurity which should be guaranteed. Protection should not mean
\nbanning women from night work.\"<\/p>\n
The seminar discussed recommendations of a 1993 study by ILO.
\nThe seminar is meant as input for members of the Indonesian
\ndelegation attending the World Women's Conference in Beijing next
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
The study, titled A Comprehensive Women's Employment Strategy
\nfor Indonesia, noted that, until 1990, for each 100 women in the
\nformal work sector, there were 223 women in informal
\nemployment. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/female-workers-still-under-suspicion-lawyer-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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