Women to take action against DPR

JAKARTA: A coalition of women's groups plans to take legal action against the Ministry of Home Affairs and the House of Representatives (DPR) for ignoring the 30-percent quota for women in state institutions related to public policy making.

The network claimed that the rejection went against the 1945 Constitution and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) decree that recommends an increase in women's representation in policy- making institutions to up to 30 percent.

"We will use all legal means and international fora to force the government and DPR to recognize the rights of Indonesian women," secretary-general of the Indonesian Women's Coalition for Justice and Democracy, Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, said here on Thursday.

She did not specify what form the action would take.

Legislator Nurdiati Akma of the Reform faction welcomed the proposal and urged the activists to join forces with other pressure groups in demanding the quota. -- JP