Women on panel of judges<\/p>\n
With reference to a report in The Jakarta Post of Nov. 11,
\n1999 entitled Observers slam rape case panel proposal, the
\nCoalition of Indonesian Women for Justice and Democracy herewith
\ndeclares its stance as follows:<\/p>\n
1. That the Coalition of Indonesian Women supports fully the idea
\nof State Minister of the Empowerment of Women, Khofifah Indar
\nParawansa, who has suggested that a regulation should be issued
\nto stipulate that each panel of judges examining rape cases and
\ncases of violence against women should include at least one woman
\njudge. The Coalition of Indonesian Women has suggested that there
\nshould be two women judges on said panel.<\/p>\n
2. That the idea is in line with the principle of gender balance
\nand women's approach in cases of violence against women and or
\ncases concerned with women's interests in general. The issuance
\nof a regulation requiring the presence of a woman judge on a
\npanel of judges examining every rape case or case of violence
\nagainst women and other women-related matters, will at least give
\npeace and courage to women to make a legal complaint about their
\nproblems. The same approach -- which should actually be a model
\n-- is the policy adopted by the Indonesian police force by
\nestablishing a Special Service Room for victims of violence.<\/p>\n
3. It should be admitted that the presence of a woman judge on
\nthis panel of judges does not necessarily guarantee the interests
\nof a woman who is a rape victim or a victim of other forms of
\nviolence, but at least the empathy shown by fellow women can give
\na different nuance to improve gender sensitivity on the part of
\nour judges, particularly women judges. This effort has actually
\nbeen made by the government itself or by other non-governmental
\ninstitutions through workshops or upgrading courses on gender
\nproblems or problems of violence against women. However, once
\nagain, the certainty that there are one or two women judges on a
\npanel of judges examining a rape case and other cases of violence
\nagainst women is needed.<\/p>\n
4. In a highly patriarchal society and state system and amidst
\nthe prevailing gender imbalance in all aspects of life,
\nparticularly in occupations and education, it is very difficult
\nto apply purely a system of meritocracy and all the more so with
\nthe inter-gender competition system without any intervention
\nthrough affirmative action as regulated in Article 4 of the
\nConvention juncto Law No. 7\/1984.<\/p>\n
5. In this context, the Coalition of Indonesian Women urges the
\nprinciple of gender balance in all levels of bureaucracy and
\ndecision making, particularly in the Supreme Court, the Police
\nand the Attorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
NURSYAHBANI KATJASUNGKANA<\/p>\n
Secretary-General<\/p>\n
Indonesian Women's Coalition<\/p>\n
for Justice and Democracy<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/women-on-panel-of-judges-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }