Gus Dur blames govt for women's low political role<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Abdurrahman
\nWahid yesterday blamed the government for Indonesian women's
\nlimited role in politics.<\/p>\n
\"The women's role is still insignificant,\" he told a seminar
\non women and politics. He pointed out the government determines
\nwhat constitutes politics, and it has apparently decided that
\nwomen's affairs are not politics.<\/p>\n
He cited the Minister of Women's Roles office as an example of
\nthe limits set by the government, which shows that women do not
\nhave enough leeway to move into politics.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, better-known as Gus Dur, said the focus of the
\noffice on \"women's affairs such as sewing, cooking and other
\ndomestic roles\" only fortifies the limitation already imposed.<\/p>\n
\"As if research, technology and education are not considered
\nwomen's affairs,\" he said. \"Women's affairs are more than that.\"<\/p>\n
Human rights, labor, health, research and other fields should
\nbe included in the realm of women's affairs, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Those things are more important for women to struggle for,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"There must be clear explanations about what constitutes
\npolitics and women's affairs. Otherwise, the situation will
\nremain,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The one-day seminar was held by Fatayat NU, a women's wing of
\nthe Nahdlatul Ulama. Other speakers yesterday included political
\nscientist Arbi Sanit, humorist Jaya Suprana, talk show host Wimar
\nWitoelar and legislator Fatimah Ahmad.<\/p>\n
Arbi expressed an opinion basically similar to Abdurrahman's,
\nsaying that -- despite the fact that their population exceeds
\nthat of men -- the role of women in politics is still very small.<\/p>\n
\"Less than 10 percent of all women occupy positions in
\npolitical institutions. This is not proportional,\" Arbi, who is a
\nlecturer at the University of Indonesia's School of Social and
\nPolitical Sciences, said.<\/p>\n
\"Their position is therefore less powerful than men,\" he said.
\n\"The quantity of female political activists, which is very small,
\nnegates whatever quality they may possess because, in politics,
\nquantity represents one of the two forms of power.\"<\/p>\n
The other form he was referring to was the power of
\nargumentation.<\/p>\n
Arbi blamed Indonesia's political culture, which places women
\nmerely as one part of the whole social group. The situation is
\naggravated by society's traditional views that it is only men who
\nlead, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Women organizations in Indonesia represent an effort to
\nmodernize women's political activities. But they are treated as
\nmere supporters of other organizations dominated by men,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"This is what is happening to Dharma Wanita,\" he cited.<\/p>\n
Dharma Wanita is the organization for civil servants' wives
\nwhich was founded in 1974 and aimed at promoting the welfare of
\nits members through activities outside their homes.<\/p>\n
In this situation, it would be difficult for Indonesian women
\nto fight for their rights, whether through women's movements or
\nfeminism, Arbi said.<\/p>\n
\"This is injustice,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The 1945 Constitution, the Broad Guidelines of State Policies
\nand some international conventions on women which Indonesia has
\nratified, guarantee the equality of women and men, he added. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-blames-govt-for-womens-low-political-role-1447893297",
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