Letter: Notes for women' empowerment

Tue, 11/03/2009 1:06 PM  |  Reader's Forum

President SBY just installed a new Cabinet, receiving mixed comments on some names whom are professionally "peculiar" to be in their position. People are mostly concerned by those who have so-called strategic ministerial positions such as those that manage the country's macro economic sector and those for the polical arena.

Less discussions, except from the women's movements, raised with regard to whom sit as the state minister of women empowerment. Then, the name of Linda Gumelar as the new minister was announced. Questions on "Who is she?" and "Why she leads the office," may be raised by women activists and organizations, but why does this matter to Indonesians?

People have talked about efforts to increase women's participation in politics and decision making. The Indonesia's Commission for General Elections (KPU) announced that among 560 elected legislators, only 101 were women, representing 18 percent out of all parliamentarians.

Would that be enough? No! Other complex inequality issues are here in Indonesia! Does the new Minister Linda Gumelar understand about such issues? Will we need to wait or will we just say "Not sure, I do not think so"?

Poverty is a constant issue. Due to inflation, contributed by the increases in fuel prices from 2005 to 2008, the poor have been hurt by rising food prices. The families' economic status, their welfare, and malnutrition status have become a challenge. Women are critical players in assuring food security in the family, but they do not have access to and control over agricultural resources. Only about 5 percent of land's plots are registered in join entitlement.

A high proportion of women, particularly during their pregnancy and lactation, experience malnutrition. Issues of a lack or limited access to clean water and sanitation and poor food intake, due to an inability to afford eggs, meat, or fish as sources of their protein, for at least once a week have been some among the causes.

Women have continued to play important role in the growth of the agriculture and rural development sectors, but they still earn considerably less than men, in both the formal and informal sectors. Attentions to provide women with proper inputs, training, and more ergonomically-friendly equipment have still limited.

The National Commission on Anti-Violence against Women reported a doubling of reported violence against women cases to 54,425 from 2008 to 2009, where economic-based violence and domestic violence being the two major cases.

Every thirty minutes, an Indonesian woman dies of pregnancy-related causes and one among 65 women in Indonesia has their lifetime risk as a mother dying of causes related to childbirth.

The office of the state minister for women's empowerment could actually have significant influence in these issues. Demonstration on the success of mainstreaming gender in specific programs, and being focused its work to support, in meaningful ways, few key sectors, would build the ministry of women empowerment's accountability to convince technical ministries and the public that equality should be promoted, and the existence of the ministry is mandatory.

We can not accept old and unproductive experiences of policy evaporation, resistance among government staffs, and inability to claim results, and lack of the ministry's capacity to be catalysts of gender mainstreaming that occurred during the implementation of gender responsive to repeatedly and windingly happen in the future. Are we too late to share this note?

Leya Cattleya
Jakarta

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Hanum G Agung Tirta (not verified), Jakarta — Wed, 11/11/2009 - 4:03pm

Business as usual? No way!. Do poor women at the rural and urban area care about who is the Minister of Women Affairs? They should not care to anyone who is helplessly infuencing policies that pro-poor and pro-women. Should we expect the Minister sits together and talks at the same level with the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Infrastructure, and Head of Bappenas if she is still working on her coping stage to understand the planning and budgeting cycle?. Forget about how will she talk with Sri Mulyani, the Minister of Finance, and talk about macro policies. Any advice? We will give her time to learn for 5 years. See her in 2014, while the development issues are getting more complex.

Sarita (not verified), Jakarta Utara — Mon, 11/09/2009 - 10:43pm

This country is critically ill. No body in the government talks about the May 1998's riot cases, where women were brutally raped and abused for political reasons. The same things in Aceh and Papua. Why bother having a Ministry of Women Affairs who ignore such cases, and when the rights and safety of women are not protected?

Ani Hasyim (not verified), Guntur - Jakarta — Sun, 11/08/2009 - 8:10pm

I have never heard the former and current minister of women affairs voicing their concerns about the many serious gender issues happened in this country lately. The stoning to death rule for adultery and the ban to women whom wear trousers in Aceh. Serious conflicts in the Freeport's area where children and women are the victims. The death of TKW. Debates regarding abortions, breast feeding, and many more. I did not hear any stand points from the Ministry. While there are many hot issues such as the case of KPK are on going on the media, it does not mean that gender and women issues could be forgotten. It is ironic to hear nothing from the Ministry and the cabinet on these issues. Violations against human and women rights due to political situations and neglected development are treated as normal. Very sad!

Anggoro Kasih (not verified), Jakarta Pusat — Thu, 11/05/2009 - 7:51pm

This newspaper has presented many gender issues and news. The stoning to death rules to cases of adultery in Aceh (and women have been most affected by it). A ban to women who wear trousers in some parts of Aceh. Violence against women and children in Freeport's conflicts. Abortion's debates. The killing of female migrant workers. Many more have been presented in this newspaper. What we heard from the Ministry?. Nothing, or nothing useful, if there are. Do we expect the Minister talks to the President and the whole cabinet, and seriously call for attention to stop violations against human rights of Indonesian women? How could we expect the Minister to do something concrete, if we doubt that she could meaningfully talk to the President and the Cabinet about such serious issues? Does she talk to female public as well?. Wait for the 100 days' agenda of the Ministry and we will hear about more wasted training and more laws and regulations that they know they would not be implemented, anyway. Poor Indonesian women.

Rama Ardana (not verified), Depok — Wed, 11/04/2009 - 8:53pm

I am a lecturer from a private university and I was twice invited to participate in gender socialization and training of the Women Empowerment's Ministry (KPP). I am glad there is a notes regarding the KPP. To tell the truth, if I was not asked by my unit's head, I did not feel like going to such training. The training were so boring and I felt 'enough'! As a man, I felt defended to hear trainers from KPP blamed patriarchy culture,illustrating system where men are power over women, as skip goats for inequality between women and men. If there are, I am a believer that inequality was caused by complex issues, not mainly caused by patriarchy. Accumulative government's policies and practices, I find, were the strongest factor maintaining of inequalities. I agree with the writer of the notes. KPP needs to focus its work. People like me may better convince to the importance of gender equality if KPP brings more actual and contextual concepts. I feel pity to see how the tax payers' money have been wasted for the training that twice I attended. KPP should focus on influencing the government's programs and work closely with sector ministries. I wish our country has another figure such as Dra Khofifah Indarparawansa for leading KPP.

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