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Traditional and religious leaders urged to prevent violence against women and children
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Stronger protections --
Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Yembise discusses initiatives to end violence against women and children in Indonesia during a national meeting in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Thursday.
(thejakartapost.com/Lita Aruperes)
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raditional and religious leaders must play a greater role in preventing violence against women and children in Indonesia, a minister has said.
“Many cases of violence against women and children across Indonesia are not legally solved because they are hampered by problems related to tradition. Many traditional leaders want to solve them within a family atmosphere. This should not happen because it can trigger more violence in the future,” said Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Yembise on Thursday while speaking at the 2016 Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection National Coordination Meeting in Manado, North Sulawesi.
Yohana said all traditional and religious leaders must unite to tackle violence against women and children in traditional meetings in their respective areas.
“Such unity has been initiated in Papua and it is hoped that other areas, including North Sulawesi, which has a high number of cases of violence against women, can do the same thing,” said the minister.
Yohana believes that the presence of traditional and religious leaders could change perceptions about the rights of women in Indonesia.
During the national meeting, participants from provinces across Indonesia agreed to three programs, collectively called Three Ends. The programs consist of a commitment to end violence against women and children, human trafficking and economic disparities between men and women.
Yohana said the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry had established a task force in areas across Indonesia. She said the task force would tackle violence against women.
“We are also striving to develop more parks for children in every village. This will prevent them from being unduly influenced by foreign ideas penetrating Indonesia via the internet and social media,” said Yohana.
She hopes that Manado residents can build an environment that protects children. “It is our common commitment that all Indonesian children are protected. Let’s end the culture of violence and build a harmonious family that is full of love. Let’s end human trafficking and increase women’s economic capacity to end poverty,” she said, adding that mass media played an important role in spreading the issue and raising awareness of the rights of children. (ebf)
