MP: Young Women Must Prove Themselves in Politics
Bandarlampung (ANTARA) - A member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the Gerindra Party, Ruby Chairani, stated that the younger generation must be able to prove themselves in politics, given their vital role in determining the direction of Indonesian democracy.
“This is in line with the number of voters from the Gen Z and Millennial groups, which reached approximately 58 per cent of the total voters in the 2024 General Election,” said Ruby during a dialogue organised by the Indonesian Women’s Political Caucus (KPPI) of Lampung Province, titled ‘Young Women Generation: Time to Speak and Act in the Political Arena’, in Bandarlampung on Saturday.
She noted that the large number of young voters also presents greater opportunities for the younger generation to enter and participate in political contests.
“I am young and I am a woman. Although I have the privilege of coming from a sufficiently well-off family that brought me to my current position, I have learned many difficult things. To survive and be heard, struggle is required. In fact, no one in my family is involved in politics. I had to learn everything myself,” said Ruby.
She stated that such challenges are part of the process that the younger generation must undergo to prove their competence and suitability in the political world.
“I have to prove that I am capable and worthy. I believe we all can,” she added.
Ruby also highlighted other challenges faced by the younger generation, particularly in dealing with developments in the digital space. According to her, most political activities of the youth now take place in digital spaces, which allow information to spread very rapidly.
However, she continued, not all circulating information can be verified for accuracy. Hoaxes, deepfakes, and hate speech are seen as factors that can influence how young people perceive politics.
“With young people entering politics, we must open up space to understand the importance of digital literacy,” she said.
The Head of the Lampung Provincial Cooperative and SME Office, Fitrianita Damhuri, stated that women need to be encouraged to become actors in the political world so they can voice women’s aspirations.
“In Lampung Province, there is a Gender Mainstreaming Local Regulation (Perda) that encourages women to have the same opportunities as men. This ensures that development can be felt by all parties without exception,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Committee Chairperson, Adrina Yustitia, said the event serves as a platform for political education for first-time voters, especially women, to gain a more comprehensive political understanding. According to her, political understanding is necessary so that the younger generation does not merely follow political polarisation and remain mere objects in political activities.
The Chairperson of the Lampung KPPI Regional Representative Council, Nenden Tresnanursari, stated that KPPI serves as a forum for women to increase their capacity and prepare themselves to enter the political world.
“Be a generation that is knowledgeable, ethical, and beneficial. Here, we can learn together,” she said.
Nenden explained that KPPI focuses on four main areas: political education, encouraging women’s representation in legislative and executive bodies at the 30 per cent mandate required by law, conducting advocacy for public policies that are friendly to women and children, and building collaborations with various parties.