Lestari Moerdijat: Mechanisms for Protecting Women Must Continue to be Perfected

The strengthening of mechanisms for preventing and protecting women from violence on campuses must continue to be perfected to realise a safe and comfortable educational environment for the nation’s next generation.

The presence of Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation No. 55 of 2024 on the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Higher Education Environments (PPKPT) indeed shows a more systematic direction in realising sustainable protection mechanisms. However, the effectiveness of its implementation still faces several challenges in the field,” said Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) RI Lestari Moerdijat in a written statement on Thursday (2/4).

Several recommendations were submitted by the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology at the end of February, to strengthen women’s protection mechanisms in the education sector.

The recommendations include the creation of implementation guidelines for Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation No. 55 of 2024, as well as the expansion of definitions of intolerance and discrimination.

In addition, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology is encouraged to enhance the capacity of the Task Force for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Higher Education (Satgas PPKPT), pay attention to small-scale private universities, and integrate indicators for preventing and handling violence into the evaluation and accreditation systems for higher education institutions.

Komnas Perempuan also emphasised the importance of strengthening monitoring and reporting mechanisms for the implementation of Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation No. 55 of 2024 on a regular basis.

According to Lestari, the recommendations submitted by Komnas Perempuan must be realised as best as possible as part of efforts to perfect existing protection mechanisms.

Rerie, Lestari’s familiar nickname, believes that in implementing a policy involving several institutions, a common understanding of the policy to be applied is essential.

Therefore, said Rerie, who is also a member of Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR) RI, clear and easily understood implementation guidelines are needed for all field officers.

Rerie strongly hopes that these recommendations can be quickly implemented by higher education providers in the country.

Thus, added the member of the NasDem Party’s Supreme Council, a safe and comfortable teaching and learning environment for the entire academic community can soon be realised.

This, Rerie stressed, is to encourage the birth of strong-charactered and competitive children of the nation in the future.