Women, politics rarely mingle in Indonesia
Women, politics rarely mingle in Indonesia
JAKARTA (JP): Culture and tradition are still the greatest obstacles preventing women entering politics in Indonesia, according to two seasoned female politicians.
Cabinet minister Mien Sugandhi and Aisyah Amini of the United Development Party both said that lack of interest and ability are the two main reasons why there are few women in Indonesian politics.
Yesterday was International Women's Day, and although Indonesia has its own National Women's Day on Dec. 22, a number of events were held in connection with the day.
Mien closed a seminar on women's participation in the business world, the United Nations Information Center held a lecture by lawyer and activist Nursjahbani Katjasungkana and the previous night witnessed the election of Miss Indonesia at a pageant in Jakarta.
Both Mien and Aisyah agree that there is still ample room for women to be involved in Indonesian politics but current statistics of women's participation in practical politics do not look good. Women account for only 12 percent of the 500 members of the House of Representatives.
And there are only two women in the current cabinet of President Soeharto. One of them is Mien, who holds the portfolio of State Minister of Women's Affairs, and the other is Endang Kusuma Inten Suweno, the Minister of Social Services.
Women however can take heart that at least one of their sex has made it to the leadership of the minority Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI): Megawati Soekarnoputri. Some of her supporters have also been pushing her to run in the presidential race in 1998.
Mien, who built her political career through the MKGR, an organization affiliated to Golkar, said she is hopeful that the 1997 election will see more women elected to the House.
"I expect at least 17 percent of the House to be female, perhaps even as much as 20 percent," she told reporters yesterday.
She said she would also like to see more women serving in the cabinet.
But when asked about the likelihood of a woman president, she said "I don't think the time has come yet. But, then who knows. That kind of things is unpredictable."
Mien said the ability of a woman is a most important factor in determining whether she is apt for a political career.
"The prime reason why there are so few women in politics is because women have little interest in the field," she said.
Culture and tradition, she said, do not encourage women to enter politics and resistance against women entering politics not only comes from men, but also from women themselves. "Politics is considered a man's world," she said.
Aisyah Amini, one of only 62 women in the House of Representatives, said there are still misgivings in society about women politicians.
"Our culture says women should not enter politics because politicians have to be open, outspoken and straightforward," said Aisyah, a legislator of the United Development Party and a member of the prestigious Commission I of the House, for foreign affairs, defense and information.
She also agrees that society's attitude has made it difficult for women to become politicians.
Indonesian girls are raised to be quiet, obedient housewives so women who enter politics are considered as going against destiny, she said.
Meanwhile, Nursjahbani in her lecture at the UN Information Center, said sexual discrimination is still rampant in almost every field, including the law.
She cited as an example the 1974 Law on Marriage which defines a man's role as head of the family and breadwinner, and a woman as a housewife.
"Such definitions establish the pattern of relations between men and women in society," she said.
The laws therefore affect society's attitude, she said.
She noted that the number of women workers in Indonesia has been growing, and a 1990 survey said they account for about 40% percent of the country's workforce, compared to only 33% in 1980.
But most of the women workers are concentrated in informal sectors such as farming, trade and services, she said.
Nursjahbani said the ratification of the UN'S Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women has helped to phase out some of the gender biases that had existed in legislation and government policies.
But the most important thing to change is society's attitude and instill acceptance that men and women should have equal positions in society, she added. (31/01)