Urgent steps to increase female representation<\/p>\n
Make political parties democratic and accountable; amend the
\nlaw on political parties and rule that 30 percent of parties'
\nlegislative candidates must be women.<\/p>\n
These are among the urgent measures to be taken in the near
\nfuture -- the latter only feasible after the 2004 elections -- to
\novercome the major stumbling blocks to increasing women's higher
\npolitical representation and to enable their meaningful role in
\ndecision making.<\/p>\n
Ani Soetjipto and Francisia, or Eri, Seda conveyed these
\nmeasures amid their anger over the predicament of a number of
\nwomen from the Golkar Party, who felt they had been betrayed. The
\nwomen had reported to the institution where they work, the Center
\nfor Electoral Reform (Cetro), that the party's central board had
\npromised that they would be on the top of the legislative
\ncandidate list. But from consultations with party executives they
\nhad gathered that their position had moved lower down the list,
\nthus reducing their chances of being elected.<\/p>\n
\"The evaluation process must be made transparent,\" said the
\nhead of Golkar's women's division, Juniwati M. Sofwan. The
\nundemocratic nature of political parties has been cited as among
\nthe many major obstacles to reform. The power of the central
\nboard to determine legislative candidates is just one example.<\/p>\n
To avoid this, researchers had suggested that the legislative
\ncandidate list be made into a \"zigzagging\" pattern, alternating
\nbetween men and women, such as implemented by the Social Democrat
\nParty in Sweden. A week ahead of the deadline of Dec. 22 for
\nparties to submit legislative candidate lists to the General
\nElections Commission, this suggestion had not been taken up and
\nGolkar's women candidates were among the first to cry foul.<\/p>\n
Possible reasons for the oversight ranged from \"money
\npolitics\" to sheer discrimination. Though the practice was
\npredictable, and not limited to Golkar, \"I still can't accept the
\nreality,\" Ani said.<\/p>\n
Ani and Eri, lecturers at the University of Indonesia, predict
\nthat the national representation of women in the House of
\nRepresentatives next year will continue to decline. In 1992 the
\npercentage of women in the House was 12.5 percent, after the 1999
\nelections, the percentage dropped to 9 percent. The few women who
\ndo get elected, they say, \"will likely be those who follow the
\nparty line\".<\/p>\n
Then the quota, which so many women have struggled for, \"would
\nbe a boomerang,\" Ani said. People would point out the female
\nlegislators and say, \"that's what happens when you designate a
\nquota for women.\"<\/p>\n
It may be even harder to advocate for a change in the law and
\nmake the quota a requirement, punishing parties which do not
\ncomply. But the activists say there has been enough proof to show
\nthat mere encouragement toward affirmative action -- which aims
\nfor a level playing field among men and women in politics -- does
\nnot work.<\/p>\n
In the face of all constraints, Cetro and other organizations
\nsupporting women candidates, must nevertheless continue to do
\nwhat they can: to help inform, educate and support the few women
\ncandidates who are willing to learn -- while inside the
\ncandidates may be trembling in the face of the wild new world of
\npolitics.<\/p>\n
Among other \"mentoring\" sessions, candidates are told to study
\nbeforehand the characteristics of their precise constituents,
\nwhich could be traced to the areas which were the mass base of
\ntheir political parties in the 1999 elections.<\/p>\n
In the equally tight period ahead of elections, voters'
\neducation is grossly lacking, given the delayed passing of the
\nlaws needed in preparation for the elections. In a number of
\nsimulations potential voters made many mistakes -- confused as
\nthey were by the new system -- and hence many votes will likely
\nbe invalid.<\/p>\n
Information campaigns through audio visual means on the
\nelectoral system are particularly needed for busy women who
\ncannot afford to attend long meetings, not even to hear how
\nimportant choosing women is. Illiteracy and low education levels
\npose further constraints. Another factor is that women's votes
\nare often influenced by male members.<\/p>\n
Political party members also need education, being equally
\n\"illiterate\" or discriminative against women, while candidates
\nare dependent on parties starting at the district level, to place
\nthem at the top of their legislative candidate lists.<\/p>\n
For the women candidates who are elected, there is the need
\nfor education and support in the face of the \"ways of politics\",
\nwhich risk reinforcing perceptions that politics is a dirty
\nbusiness. Researchers meanwhile point out the obvious advantages
\nof paying attention to the majority of voters -- women --
\nestimated to make up 52 percent of the electorate.<\/p>\n
A nationwide survey recently released by the Jakarta-based
\nAsia Foundation, among other research, points out the issues that
\nwomen are interested in: Easier access to loans, education for
\ngirls, family planning and jobs were among the issues that most
\nfemale respondents were attracted to.<\/p>\n
The sociologist, Eri Seda, points out some other short-term
\nsteps based on discussions also involving Cetro. Networking must
\nbe strengthened among women's groups, political parties,
\nlegislative bodies and the media. An awareness of how society
\nwould be better off without the unnecessary suffering caused by
\nvarious inequalities, should be instilled through training in
\ninstitutions -- such as legislative bodies (apart from the
\npolitical parties).<\/p>\n
To strengthen women already holding public posts, she said,
\nfurther training is needed in lobbying and campaigning, and in
\nparticipation in political discussions and institutions.<\/p>\n
Also, assistance should be provided for political parties
\ncommitted to promoting gender equality through their political
\nplatforms and internal political structures.<\/p>\n
Such measures would help facilitate opportunities and access
\nfor women to gain equal leverage in competing as candidates for
\npolitical posts and in playing a meaningful role when in power.<\/p>\n
\"Even male candidates without experience, money and an
\nexisting network have a hard time, let alone women,\" Eri said.
\n-- Ati Nurbaiti<\/p>",
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