Underrepresentation of women upsets Mien

Underrepresentation of women upsets Mien

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi
says she is upset that Golkar, the ruling political group, is
nominating fewer women for next year's general election than
expected.

"We were promised a quota of 17 percent in the legislative
branch. Now it seems that we're only getting 14 percent," Mien
was quoted by Antara as saying on Thursday.

Mien -- who remains an influential figure in MKGR, one of the
three powerful mass organizations within Golkar -- met on
Thursday with the 20 women legislators who currently represent
the Golkar faction in the House.

Of the 20, only one has been renominated on the provisional
list of Golkar candidates, the news agency said without naming
the legislator.

"I'm very concerned about why many good women legislators are
not going to represent the people again in the next period (1997-
2002)," Mien said.

She added that she would raise the issue with Golkar's central
executive board and fight for at least a 15-percent ratio.

The list of candidates is said to be in the hands of President
Soeharto, in his capacity as Golkar's chief patron, for final
approval.

Golkar and the other two election contestants, the United
Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party, are
expected to submit their final lists to the General Election
Institute on Monday.

Golkar chairman Harmoko promised earlier that 17 percent of
Golkar candidates would be women and 40 percent selected from the
young generation.

"There are many Indonesian women who are just as capable and
qualified as men (to serve in the House)," Mien said.

She acknowledged that women in Indonesia still do not have
adequate access to education because of the prevailing social and
cultural attitudes and values that put men first.

"But let's not forget that come election time, women will
account for more than half of all voters. So, why give them a
tiny portion in the legislative branch?"

The meeting was also used for "self-introspection", with one
legislator admitting that Indonesian women have not been
assertive or vocal enough.

That includes the women in the House, Hartini was quoted as
saying by Antara.

"The obstacle sometimes comes from the women themselves
because they don't have the courage to speak up and express views
or ideas," Hartini said.

The fact that there are so few women in the legislative branch
should be seen as a challenge to improve the situation in the
future, she said. (emb)