Legislator concerned over violence against women<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Violence against women and abuse of children are
\nbecoming national issues that need prompt action, a senior
\nlegislator said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Nafsiah Mboi, a member of House Commission VIII for social
\nwelfare, acknowledged that development has brought prosperity but
\nwomen and children remain subjected to violence and abuse.<\/p>\n
\"Economic development has raised children's participation in
\neducation and lowered maternal and infant mortality rates but it
\nshould not dazzle us into neglecting persistent problems,\" she
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
Nafsiah, also a well-known AIDS and social worker, pointed out
\nthat rape is on the increase, as is the number of adults forcing
\ntheir children to become beggars for them.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Indonesian laws provide inadequate legal
\nprotection for women and children, especially against abuse by
\nfamily members and security officials, she said.<\/p>\n
\"People who exploit children go unpunished because there is no
\nparticular law that deals with such crimes,\" Nafsiah said.<\/p>\n
Nafsiah led a seminar on The Media's Role in the Commemoration
\nof the Second-Decennial of Indonesian Children, organized by the
\nJournalists and Writers Club for Women and Children and the
\nJakarta office of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).<\/p>\n
The one-day seminar featured UNICEF's deputy representative
\nYoshiteru Uramoto and S.C. Utami Munandar from the University of
\nIndonesia's School of Psychology.<\/p>\n
Nafsiah said society is also involved in violence against
\nstreet children. For example, starving street children caught
\nstealing food are often badly treated, she noted.<\/p>\n
People also tend to downplay rape and abuse of children.<\/p>\n
\"Many people still think rape and abuse of children is no big
\ndeal simply because Indonesians are 'religious'. They are wrong,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
She criticized the mass media for not adequately raising
\nviolence against women and abuse of children as a national
\nproblem.<\/p>\n
Hernowo Hadiwonggo, an assistant to the Coordinating Minister
\nfor People's Welfare, said that the lack of media reports about
\nwomen's and children's issues is because the mass media do not
\nconsider them salable stories.<\/p>\n
\"We can't blame the media. This happens because of the current
\nsituation and the public demand leading them to cover other
\nstories,\" Hernowo told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
But Nafsiah was of the opinion that since violence against
\nwomen and abuse of children are becoming national problems, the
\nmass media should raise the issues more prominently. (31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislator-concerned-over-violence-against-women-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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