Women activists campaign for quota

Women activists campaign for quota

JAKARTA: Activists from the Women Care for Indonesia Movement
visited the House of Representatives on Wednesday as part of
their campaign to increase women's representation in politics.

Law No. 12/2003 on elections encourages political parties to
increase the number of women legislators in the House to at least
30 percent, although it does not spell out any sanctions for
failure to do so.

Francisia "Eri" Seda of the Center for Electoral Reform said
the absence of penalties would discourage parties from acting on
the suggestion.

She said the women activists would continue to meet with
leaders of different political parties.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, who received the activists, said
his Golkar Party had assigned Sri Rejeki Soemaryoto, a Golkar
leader and state minister for women's empowerment, to monitor the
selection of legislative candidates in accordance with the law. -
JP