The threat to women: When decision makers play deaf<\/p>\n
Jacqueline Mackenzie, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Gadis Arivia is the Executive Director of Yayasan Jurnal
\nPerempuan (YJP, Women's Journal Foundation), which initiated the
\nSuara Ibu Peduli (Voice of Concerned Mothers), among the crucial
\nmovements capitalizing on the early days of the economic crisis
\nto raise people's political awareness. Gadis is stepping down at
\nthe end of this month after eight years on the job. Following is
\nan excerpt from an interview, published in conjunction with the
\ncountry's commemoration of Women's Day, which falls on Dec. 22.<\/p>\n
Question: In your eight years as Executive Director, what do
\nyou count among YJP's biggest achievements?<\/p>\n
Answer: One was publishing the first feminist journal in
\nIndonesia, Jurnal Perempuan, in 1996. This journal opened up a
\nwhole new horizon for women's issues in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The journal gave space for women to express their opinions on
\na variety of topics. The bimonthly journal covers lots of issues
\n-- violence against women, women and health, women and politics,
\ntrafficking in women, women in conflict areas and much more. We
\nstarted with only 200 copies, but circulation now is around 5,000
\ncopies.<\/p>\n
Because YJP believes information empowers women, we also
\nstarted a radio program in 1999. It's a weekly 15-minute women's
\nprogram now aired on 160 radio stations across Indonesia, from
\nAceh to Papua, and covers news, features and interviews on
\nwomen's issues. Radio Jurnal Perempuan has more than 3 million
\nloyal listeners.<\/p>\n
More recently, YJP started making video documentaries. Our
\nlatest production is Women and Children for Sale. The film was
\naired on almost all national TV stations. We try to capture the
\npublic's attention through every media -- print, audio and video.<\/p>\n
How has the status of women in Indonesia changed so far?<\/p>\n
A lot has changed since the New Order ended. Before 1997,
\nthere were only a few women's organizations. The discourse was
\nrestricted, women's organizations were only permitted to do
\ncharity work and the emphasis was more on shaping women in
\ndomestic issues, to be responsible only in the private sphere.<\/p>\n
Women were not widely involved in politics. Many women's
\norganizations back then did not dare to voice any political
\nissues about women that might upset the government. Then, in
\nFebruary 1998, YJP organized the Suara Ibu Peduli demonstration
\non political, domestic issues like \"down with the price of milk\".<\/p>\n
The aim of the rally was to bring down the regime. It
\nattracted public attention and was able to \"break the silence\" on
\nwomen's issues. Now there are over 200 women's organizations in
\nIndonesia, all forging onward with different women's issues.<\/p>\n
What are the greatest threats to the health and happiness of
\nIndonesian women now?<\/p>\n
The greatest threat is when all ears in the legislature and
\ngovernment go deaf, when all doors for debate are closed. Women's
\nlives are, of course, affected by the government's decisions, but
\nthey seem to have few rights to participate in the debate or the
\ndecision-making process.<\/p>\n
For instance, for many years now the NGOs have been fighting
\nfor a domestic violence law, trafficking law, a revised marriage
\nlaw. These draft laws reached the legislature ages ago, but
\ndecisions still have not been made. Some say that laws are passed
\nby the House only if they are \"nutritious\" -- meaning money
\npolitics. I cannot believe that it is so. If it is, then I am
\nvery sad. They have no idea how, every day, women and children
\nare suffering because they are not protected by the law.<\/p>\n
How do you see those issues developing?<\/p>\n
Women are still behind because of the crisis, the patriarchy
\nprevalent in Indonesia, the lack of law enforcement and the lack
\nof political will. Women are behind in education, girls'
\nenrollment in higher education has dropped, violence against
\nwomen has increased by 25 percent, many migrant women workers are
\nbeing exploited and raped, and maternal mortality is still the
\nhighest in the region.<\/p>\n
When and if real improvements are made, will they come from
\nthe Indonesian government, or from international pressure or aid?<\/p>\n
Real improvements can only be made through international
\npressure and aid. To be frank, most NGOs do a fantastic job in
\nthe field, but only because of international aid. I cannot
\nimagine that YJP could do what it has been doing for eight years
\nwithout international aid.<\/p>\n
YJP made a big effort this year to get the government to do
\nsomething about the issue of trafficking in women and children.
\nHave you been pleased with the response?<\/p>\n
The response has been disappointing. The issue was considered
\na hot issue with the government for a while. Many projects were
\nlaunched, mostly advocacy, but I think they were mostly to show
\nthe international aid community that it had spent their money
\nwell. The projects have not been effective; there have been no
\nsignificant results.<\/p>\n
This is mainly due of a lack of real understanding on the
\nissue. But it's also due to the absence of law enforcement
\nagainst those authorities -- not for the victims -- who give out
\nfalse permits, fabricate documents and so on. Combating
\ntrafficking is about being brave in combating corruption ... it
\nis about having the courage to face their own government
\nofficials, the bureaucrats who abuse their power.<\/p>\n
How will women's issues feature in the upcoming elections?<\/p>\n
I don't think women's issues will feature at all.<\/p>\n
Women will feature only as celebrities, as the \"flowers\" of
\nthe election. Instead of real debate, we'll most likely hear
\ncelebrity gossip about these women -- how they look or dress.<\/p>\n
Men don't take women seriously in political parties because
\nthey don't really consider them partners in their work, sharing a
\nmission and vision. They just take women to use them, to display
\ntheir female body on the podium, not their feminist thinking.<\/p>\n
How can Indonesia's women best help themselves in the
\nimmediate future?<\/p>\n
Indonesian women are courageous, remarkable women. In every
\ndomain they are defeated, they have suffered, they are the
\npoorest, the most uneducated and the lowest wage earners. But
\nthey are surviving.<\/p>\n
They have been the ones at the forefront. During the economic
\ncrisis, they took low-paying jobs to keep their children fed and
\nin school. In conflict areas, they are the ones trying to build
\nreconciliation and peace. Under terrorism, they suffer for the
\nlong term, too. Women of Indonesia have contributed immensely to
\ndevelopment, all the while helping themselves to rise above the
\nstatus quo.<\/p>\n
I hope that, eventually, providing solid information on these
\nissues will -- as it must at some point -- lead to better
\npolicies that will lead to better results. If this comes about,
\nthen I will feel I have made a contribution.<\/p>",
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