RI signs UN protocol on women's rights

RI signs UN protocol on women's rights

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia signed the protocol of the United
Nations Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (UN-CEDAW) on Monday.

Representing the government of Indonesia was State Minister of
the Empowerment of Women Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who signed the
protocol along with representatives from 25 other countries at UN
Headquarters in New York.

Indonesia became the first Southeast Asian country to sign the
protocol, which was declared in December 1979 and legally binding
since Sept. 3, 1981, to protect the political, economic and
sociocultural rights of women. A total of 165 countries have
ratified the convention.

The protocol allows women to report human rights abuses to the
UN Commission on Human Rights. The commission can order follow-up
actions, including conducting investigations.

"The signing of the protocol shows Indonesia's commitment to
human rights because it will allow the UN to investigate in the
country if there are reports of human rights abuses of women,"
Indonesia's representative to the UN Makarim Wibisono
told Antara.

He said many countries were reluctant to accept international
intervention in their cases of rights abuses.

Indonesia has been under scrutiny by the international
community for human rights violations following the August self-
determination ballot in East Timor. The government has repeatedly
rejected the possibility of trying the alleged perpetrators of
the mayhem in an international tribunal. (dja)