Women must pressurize parties to fight for their rights, causes
JAKARTA (JP): Political researcher Chusnul Mar'iyah decried the dearth of programs for women in the platforms of the big political parties gearing up for next year's election.
"They all think that this is not an important issue. Yet, all this time, women have been marginalized because of the prolonged patriarchal, male-dominated system," Chusnul said during a discussion on Friday on the question of women and the election.
The lecturer at the School of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Indonesia said that since women make up the majority of the voters -- 51 percent of the electorate -- they should use this powerful bargaining position to ensure that political parties fight for their interests.
She noted that none of the major political parties, not even Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Perjuangan, has any clear-cut program for women.
These parties, she said, had evolved either around the charisma of their leaders, populist programs, or religion.
She predicted only five parties would have any serious chances in the election which will likely see nearly 100 political parties contesting. They are the PDI Perjuangan, the People's Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), Golkar and the Crescent and Star Party (PBB).
"But because these parties evolved around those three aspects, they will not care so much about women's issues," she said.
Chusnul was not even impressed by Megawati, the daughter of Indonesia's first president Sukarno, and the first woman ever to lead a major political party in the country.
"She is the only women figure in the PDI leadership. She relies on the charisma of her father, not her own. She could use her position to pay greater attention to women's issues. Relying on charisma will only encourage the cult of the personality."
Chusnul suggested that women, especially the middle class who have access to information, knowledge and power, be more active in politics to rectify these shortcomings.
Many women only voted because their husbands or their offices told them so, she said. "They are 'mechanical voters.'"
"It is not due to ignorance or an act of free choice. This is happening because women have become mere commodities and victims of a male-dominated system," she said.
Economist and former cabinet minister Emil Salim has encouraged women to be politically more assertive.
"Women have to be active to voice their aspirations. Don't vote for parties which do not pay attention to women's interests. Be critical," he said.
"There are so many issues to fight for in the next election. So come on, women, stand up and take some action. You don't need to go out on the streets. You can form a strong pressure group."
The discussions were attended by noted figures such as Herawati Diah, who heads the Gerakan Perempuan Sadar Pemilu presidium, Myra Dyarsi, Debra Yatim, Kardinah Soepardjo Roestam, Annie Bertha Simamora and Muktiah Mashud.
"I realize that we are still far from reaching the goal here, which is to make Indonesian women aware of their rights to participate in the political process. But we'll keep on fighting," Debra said. (edt)