'Women must push for gender equality'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Legislator Marwah Daud Ibrahim said during a
\npanel discussion yesterday that women, and society as a whole,
\nshould start creating a desired vision for incorporating gender
\nand the development perspective.<\/p>\n
\"It is irrelevant to rhetorically ask whether Indonesian women
\nare ready (to increase the role of women in society). Of course,
\nwe are not today. But we can start preparing for the future,
\ncan't we?\" Marwah, a legislator from the ruling Golkar faction,
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Marwah was commenting on a recent study conducted by the
\nRepublika daily entitled Women House Members' Aspirations which
\nfound that highly conscientious women House members tended to be
\nmore courageous and vocal in defending women's interests.<\/p>\n
The findings provoked a lively discussion on the role of
\nfemale legislators viewed from a cultural perspective, which is
\nconsidered the main obstacle.<\/p>\n
\"My experience has convinced me that structural change can
\neventually eliminate the cultural bounds,\" she said, adding that
\nperhaps the campaign to battle bureaucracy's parochialism could
\nstart with applying quota systems.<\/p>\n
Marwah said that more socialization of incorporating gender
\nequality in development would be attained inclusively, by both
\nmen and women.<\/p>\n
Accompanying Marwah were Khofifah Indar Parawansa from the
\nUnited Development Party and Laksmiari Priyonggo from the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party.<\/p>\n
From a total of 104 women legislators surveyed, 15.4 percent
\nadmitted they entered the field of politics due to their
\nhusbands' influence. Both Khofifah and Laksmiari challenged the
\nfinding, saying that if classified by each party in the House,
\nthe answers would not have been valid.<\/p>\n
In the most recent election in 1992, 52 percent of those who
\nvoted were women, while there were only 12.6 percent female
\nmembers of the 500-member House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi was recently
\ninfuriated by the lower percentage of women nominated for next
\nyear's general election than earlier promised by Golkar.<\/p>\n
Eep Saefulloh, head of Republika's research and development
\ncenter, said the study was conducted due to the apparent
\nunderrepresentation of women in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
He added that many legislators did not perceive any problem in
\nthe political recruitment system for women or overt operational
\ndiscrimination.<\/p>\n
The heated discussion prompted legislator Laksmiari to frown
\nin reaction to critical remarks on woman's subordination by men
\nat the House made by Myra Diarsi, a woman advocate from
\nKalyanamitra, a women's communication and information center.<\/p>\n
\"One should learn how the House really operates before
\nmercilessly cornering women members of the House,\" Laksmiari
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Edriana, an independent observer, said that issues raised as
\n\"women's issues,\" have not touched on the substance of the
\nperpetuation, evident in rampant misunderstanding concerning the
\nissues.<\/p>\n
\"It depends on one's perception about what disadvantages
\nwomen. It does not matter who fights for it. There are men who,
\nto a certain extent, understand the issues better than some
\nwomen,\" Edriana said.<\/p>\n
Respondents cited eight main women's issues, including lack of
\nwomen in policy-making positions, weak protection from the law,
\nreceiving lower pay compared to their male counterparts, frequent
\noccurrence of sexual harassment, women portrayed as sex objects
\nin the mass media, exploitation of female migrant workers and
\nviolation of the right to menstrual leave. (14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/women-must-push-for-gender-equality-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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