Zohra dedicated to women's struggle

Zohra dedicated to women's struggle

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar

The injustice and violence against women in Indonesia have
aroused the spirit and awareness of Zohra Andi Baso to struggle
for better conditions through her non-governmental organization.

Through it, she has been engaged in research, political
education and advocacy in cases of violence against women.

To Zohra, who obtained a master's degree from the Bogor
Institute of Agriculture, the subordinate position of women in a
variety of fields must be opposed. "Women should be men's equals
because they have the same rights and obligations. For a long
time, women have become subordinate, instead of being given the
role of decision-maker," she told The Jakarta Post during a
national conference for women in Makassar recently.

According to the former Suara Pembaruan correspondent (from
1975 to 2001), the injustice and violence experienced by
Indonesian women results from the culture and system established
through generations, starting in the family.

The unwritten societal "obligation" that women must stay at
home and men must come first in education, for instance, has left
women with a lack of knowledge and thus deprived them of their
rights.

Moreover, government policies have also left women in unfair
positions and have tended to be gender-biased. Strategic posts
like those of decision makers are always entrusted to men,
leaving only subordinate positions to be filled by women.

It seems to be a given in this society that they are
automatically inferior to their male counterparts, yet nearly all
of the modern nations of the world have long since debunked and
moved beyond that myth.

The basic problems being faced by women in the country, as a
consequence of these conditions are poverty, low education and
poor health, which also is the main cause of high mortality among
mothers.

Even in areas of conflict (between male soldiers), most of the
victims of violence have been women and children. To improve the
plight of women here, a very long struggle is required not only
to cease violence against them and give them fair treatment, but
also to nurture their own awareness to fight for women's rights.

Originally from South Sulawesi, Zohra realizes all too well
that it is a tough battle to free women in her region from
injustice, because they remain trapped within a strong
patriarchal culture that obliges females to obey and submit to
males as family heads, combined with a gender-biased
interpretation of the main religion (Islam) in the area.

However, Zohra, born in Pangkajene Islands regency in South
Sulawesi 52 years ago, is optimistic and convinced that the fight
for equal status will eventually bear fruit.

"This situation will change, because the violence and
injustice plaguing women in Indonesia came from the prevailing
system and sociocultural factors. It was never predestined. But
alas, it's indeed a long journey," she indicated.

The spirit of opposition to injustice has been ingrained in
her since childhood. Born into an upper-class family with a
feudal culture, Zohra frequently noticed unfair treatment around
her.

For example, her babysitter was never allowed to eat together
with the family, servants had to sit on the floor, while family
members were seated, and locals had to bow as they met her
parents.

"I used to wonder why they could not dine and sit with us, as
I loved them. But I had no way of changing the established
practice handed down by our ancestors. Later, I was determined to
do away with such treatment," added the oldest of three siblings
who still lectures at a private college in Makassar.

When she studied the science of communications at Hasanuddin
University (from 1974 to 1981), her awareness to fight inequality
in the interests of women further crystallized, especially after
she became a journalist and witnessed such instances as an
everyday reality.

The prevalence of male-dominated student organizations also
worried her and led to her start taking an active role in the
university's student council and campus publication.

Zohra began her vigorous quest for justice for women to show
that, as a female, she also had bright ideas and was capable of
heading the campus press council. She participated in various
demonstrations against unfair policies, and in 1975 entered
journalism, another profession dominated by men. Other activities
included the Zero Population Group and an organization working in
the field of youth and family planning.

Her critical, vocal, firm and uncompromising attitude has come
to typify her, meaning that she opposes without hesitation
anything considered inappropriate. Her opposition has been clear
through her action that she displayed as a student and in the
early period of reformasi.

She made a controversial decision in opposing BJ Habibie's bid
for the presidency in the 1999 election, due to his perceived
failure in handling graft, violence and injustice, despite South
Sulawesi's overwhelming support for one of its homegrown boys.

She consistently fought for the cause of women while on the
board of the provincial chapter of the Consumer Institute in
1987, especially after her election as chairperson in 1994.

She then focused on the protection of female consumers as
victims, besides conducting research on reproductive hygiene,
which were, at that time, still being ignored. She also took up
the cause to reform the state's family planning policies, with
their tendency to pressure women, an issue that later became the
subject of a book she published.

In 1995, Zohra and a number of Indonesian women activists
attended a conference in Beijing. After that, they all agreed to
campaign together for an end to all forms of violence against
women.

Subsequently, she also took part in direct action, including
demonstrations, in Makassar as well as Jakarta. The following
year, Zohra, who had chosen to remain single, decided to set up a
special organization that struggles for the rights of women.

Along with two other non-governmental organizations, she
founded the Women's Observer Forum (FPMP), with the post of
coordinator entrusted to her. Since then, Zohra has devoted most
of her attention and thoughts to the forum's mission to terminate
all kinds of violence and injustice inflicted on women.

Among its activities are advocacy for victims of violence and
political education for women in villages, as was provided in the
1999 election period.

In addition to her commitment to the FPMP, Zohra is also
active in Women's Solidarity as the chairperson of its national
supervisory council, and the Indonesian Women's Coalition
Presidium, also as chairperson (for the period 2004 to 2007).