Komnas Perempuan's appeal

Komnas Perempuan's appeal

We welcome the response of President Megawati Soekarnoputri to
the public demand that a presidential message be immediately
issued to discuss the endorsement of the Bill Against Domestic
Violence (RUU AKDRT). The President raised two problems, namely
the preparedness of the law enforcement apparatus to support the
law's implementation, and the near-to-expiry term of office of
legislators, which prevents their optimal performance.

With regard to law enforcement, we, the National Commission on
Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), affirm that relevant
institutions are more than prepared. There are 343 facilitating
agencies comprising 206 special service rooms at police stations
and 137 non-governmental organizations, which among other
functions, provide victims with legal aid.

Based on a presidential instruction, Gender Focal Points have
been set up in the National Police, the Attorney General's Office
and the Supreme Court. All the institutions have established a
cooperation program until 2006 with Komnas Perempuan and partners
like Derap Warapsari, Convention Watch and LBH APIK to strengthen
the law enforcement capacity of handling cases of violence
against women.

As for the near-to-expiry office of members of the House of
Representatives, we see no impediment to the issuance of a
presidential message on RUU AKDRT. Indonesian women are waiting
for the President's prompt action to meet the urgent need of
legal protection for female victims of domestic violence.
Finally, Komnas Perempuan and its partners look forward to a
meeting with the President to deal with the matter.

KAMALA CHANDRAKIRANA
Chairman
Komnas Perempuan
Jakarta