Jakarta Provincial Government Urged to Review Sanctions for Husbands Failing to Provide for Family Post-Divorce

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Muhammad Thamrin, a member of the Jakarta DPRD from the PKS faction, has requested that the Jakarta Provincial Government examine the possibility of imposing sanctions on husbands who fail to support their wives and children through a draft regional regulation (raperda) on women’s protection. “The government needs to study policy options for sanctions against husbands who do not comply with court decisions post-divorce, particularly regarding maintenance and neglect of wives and children,” Thamrin stated during a plenary session at the Jakarta DPRD building on Monday. Thamrin noted that the sanctions could take the form of administrative measures, such as deactivating the Population Identification Number (NIK) or restricting certain administrative services. In this way, it is hoped that the welfare of women and children can still be guaranteed even after divorce. Additionally, on that occasion, Thamrin also highlighted the violence frequently experienced by women. He emphasised that women’s protection is not merely about handling victims but is also part of efforts to uphold human dignity and strengthen the smallest unit of society, namely the family. Based on data from the Women’s and Children’s Protection Centre, the number of victims of violence against women continues to rise, from 1,682 victims in 2023 to 2,269 victims in 2025. According to him, this increase is not just a statistical figure but a serious alarm that the state and local government must respond more progressively, in an integrated manner, and with empathy to these issues. To that end, Thamrin said there needs to be firmer regulations on digital-based violence, as well as additions to the considerations of the ITE Law and the Sexual Violence Crime Law in the clauses to strengthen the legal basis for the Raperda. He further assessed that there needs to be a clear clause or specific sanction for institutions, workplaces, or public service providers that do not have Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for women’s protection or that hinder services for victims.