'Women must push for gender equality'

'Women must push for gender equality'

JAKARTA (JP): Legislator Marwah Daud Ibrahim said during a
panel discussion yesterday that women, and society as a whole,
should start creating a desired vision for incorporating gender
and the development perspective.

"It is irrelevant to rhetorically ask whether Indonesian women
are ready (to increase the role of women in society). Of course,
we are not today. But we can start preparing for the future,
can't we?" Marwah, a legislator from the ruling Golkar faction,
said.

Marwah was commenting on a recent study conducted by the
Republika daily entitled Women House Members' Aspirations which
found that highly conscientious women House members tended to be
more courageous and vocal in defending women's interests.

The findings provoked a lively discussion on the role of
female legislators viewed from a cultural perspective, which is
considered the main obstacle.

"My experience has convinced me that structural change can
eventually eliminate the cultural bounds," she said, adding that
perhaps the campaign to battle bureaucracy's parochialism could
start with applying quota systems.

Marwah said that more socialization of incorporating gender
equality in development would be attained inclusively, by both
men and women.

Accompanying Marwah were Khofifah Indar Parawansa from the
United Development Party and Laksmiari Priyonggo from the
Indonesian Democratic Party.

From a total of 104 women legislators surveyed, 15.4 percent
admitted they entered the field of politics due to their
husbands' influence. Both Khofifah and Laksmiari challenged the
finding, saying that if classified by each party in the House,
the answers would not have been valid.

In the most recent election in 1992, 52 percent of those who
voted were women, while there were only 12.6 percent female
members of the 500-member House of Representatives.

State Minister of Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi was recently
infuriated by the lower percentage of women nominated for next
year's general election than earlier promised by Golkar.

Eep Saefulloh, head of Republika's research and development
center, said the study was conducted due to the apparent
underrepresentation of women in the House of Representatives.

He added that many legislators did not perceive any problem in
the political recruitment system for women or overt operational
discrimination.

The heated discussion prompted legislator Laksmiari to frown
in reaction to critical remarks on woman's subordination by men
at the House made by Myra Diarsi, a woman advocate from
Kalyanamitra, a women's communication and information center.

"One should learn how the House really operates before
mercilessly cornering women members of the House," Laksmiari
said.

Edriana, an independent observer, said that issues raised as
"women's issues," have not touched on the substance of the
perpetuation, evident in rampant misunderstanding concerning the
issues.

"It depends on one's perception about what disadvantages
women. It does not matter who fights for it. There are men who,
to a certain extent, understand the issues better than some
women," Edriana said.

Respondents cited eight main women's issues, including lack of
women in policy-making positions, weak protection from the law,
receiving lower pay compared to their male counterparts, frequent
occurrence of sexual harassment, women portrayed as sex objects
in the mass media, exploitation of female migrant workers and
violation of the right to menstrual leave. (14)