Activists say Megawati has done little to advance cause of women

Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Activists here claim that the ascendance of a female president has done little to advance women's empowerment, with Megawati Soekarnoputri herself accused of being an obstacle to affirmative action for women.

The activists say that five months after Megawati became the most powerful person in southeast Asia's biggest country, there has been little sign of improvement with even less hope of tangible policies for women in the immediate future.

They lamented Megawati shooting down the proposal to allocate 30 percent of the decision-making positions to women.

Miranty Abidin, chairwoman of the Indonesian Women's Political Caucus and Nurdiati Akma of the Women's Parliament Caucus in particular blasted the president's Mother's Day address which they said was a setback to gender equality.

In her speech, Megawati fired a broadside against affirmative action saying such proposals are "counter productive" and "degraded women's dignity".

Megawati completely disagreed with quotas as an answer to gender equality saying that if prescribed, affirmative action will eventually "weaken institutions as they are burdened with preferential treatment".

But female activists contend that as an immediate measure, quotas should be considered.

"I regret President Megawati's statement. The quota is only a temporary measure for gender mainstreaming in politics," Miranty told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Nurdiati Akma rebuked Megawati for not being in tune with the plight of female politicians and bureaucrats as she herself had rarely faced daily discrimination in her political rise.

Many observers have noted that Megawati's initial political value stems from being the daughter of charismatic first president Sukarno.

Her gender did become an issue in the 1999 presidential election. But many saw the use of the gender card against her more as political leverage rather than discrimination.

The proposal for affirmative action in the form of a 30 percent quota for women has gained ground the past year with then minister of women's empowerment Khofifah Indar Parawansa throwing her weight behind it.

Activists insist that the quota is necessary, otherwise women would never have an equal political footing with men.

But Megawati believes in fair competition, free of privileges even if supposedly for a good cause. She instead appeals to women to "improve themselves, by themselves."

Discriminating against men, apparently is not an option.

But countless women have attested that gender fairness is not a reality easily found.

"We have followed fair competition, but chances for better education or promotion always go to men," Nurdiati remarked.

The facts speak for themselves. Despite making up more than half of 210 million population, women are under represented, and underpaid, in many sectors.

There are only 45 women in the 500-seat legislature.

Working women are also paid less. Female university graduates get an average Rp 573,200 monthly salary, compared to men who pocket Rp 769,600.