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Breaking down patriarchy to end violence against women
JP/Anggie AngelaI Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati was one of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s surprise appointees as minister for women’s empowerment and child protection, replacing Yohana S
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JP/Anggie Angela
I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati was one of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s surprise appointees as minister for women’s empowerment and child protection, replacing Yohana S. Yembise.
Earlier she was known only as the wife of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) veteran politician Anak Agung Ngurah Puspayoga, the former cooperatives minister, former deputy governor of Bali and former Denpasar mayor.
With a limited track record in women and child’s right issues, Bintang faces questions about her ability to advance the lives of women, who comprise half of Indonesia’s 271 million people, and about her ability to protect the rights of 81 million of children, one third of the population.
In Bali, activists for women and children expressed both optimism and concern. Legal Aid Foundation of the Indonesian Women's Association for Justice (LBH-APIK) Bali chapter secretary Luh Putu Anggraeni said the minister “is the embodiment of a high caste Balinese woman who has successfully pursued her own career despite being married to a member of the powerful patriarchal royal family of Puri Agung Satria”, the royal court in Denpasar.
“If you were born to a patriarchal and often oppressive Balinese family, you might understand what discrimination and inequality against women really mean and how that profoundly affects our lives,” Anggraeni added.
Bali has seen various types of violence against women and children, including underreported domestic violence.
“We expect Bintang to break down the strong patriarchal social and cultural fabrics from within and to come up with significant breakthroughs and innovations for the betterment of women and children in Bali and across Indonesia,” Anggraeni said.
President Jokowi has assigned Bintang to strengthen the role of women in entrepreneurship, eliminate child labor and end violence against women and children.
Despite Jokowi being a member of the global “He for She” movement to improve gender equality, his initially nine female ministers have dwindled to just five in his second term.
Former National Commission on Human Rights commissioner Zoemrotin K. Susilo says Jokowi has put more emphasis on promoting women’s economic entrepreneurship.
“It is not bad, of course, to enhance women’s economic condition, but there are so many more concerning problems […] especially gender-based violence. This should not be Minister Bintang’s second priority,” she said.
For economic empowerment, the minister could easily coordinate with related ministries and other government institutions, she said.
“Gender-based violence, including sexual, physical, emotional and economic abuse, has been pervasive because of our unbreakable patriarchal system. This is the root cause of all problems affecting women and children in the country and must be addressed across the board,” Zoemrotin said.
A national survey by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) shows that one in three Indonesian women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
The National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) found an increase in gender-based violence this year. There were over 400,000 cases, an increase of 14 percent from the previous year.
Worst of all, most adults and children do not understand children’s right to protection from all forms of violence.
Some studies in Indonesia show that both adults and children consider violent forms of punishment acceptable. Gender inequality and practices discriminating against girls have resulted in high levels of child marriage and other harmful practices.
About 11 percent of women are married before the age of 15. Data from UNICEF shows 1 out 9 Indonesian girls marry before reaching 16 years old.
Thirty years ago Indonesia ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. However, ending violence still requires strong legal reforms, integrated actions and crosscutting approaches.
The government’s zero-tolerance policy toward gender-based violence includes the 2004 Law on domestic violence and the 2007 Anti-Trafficking Law. Following public pressure last September, the legal marriage age was increased to 19 for both males and females in the revised Marriage Law in an effort to curb child marriage. Earlier it was 16 for girls and could even be younger with a court permit. Punishments have increased for sexual offenders against children following shocking cases of gang rape and the murder of girls. Yet, still far too many women and children experience violence.
Indonesia ranked 104 out of 160 countries on the United Nations Development Program’s 2017 Gender Inequality Index, which measures gender disparities in education, reproductive health and economic and political participation. Indonesia’s ranking has changed little in recent years and is below that of most of its Asian neighbors.
Meiwita P. Budhiharsana of the University of Indonesia’s (UI) School of Public Health strongly suggests the new minister prioritize the health of women and children. The maternal mortality rate is still high at 306 out of 100,000 live births. Further, child nutrition indicators have shown little improvement since 2007. Child stunting remains at about 9 million (37 percent). Wasting affects 12 percent of the population. There are 3 million overweight children (12 percent). The rate of anemia in pregnancy is 37 percent, and 3 million cases of severe acute malnutrition occur every year.
“The lives of 81 million of children are at stake [… They] will determine the country’s human-resource quality and become the main pillar of national development in the years to come,” the professor said.
Despite abundant challenges, Minister Bintang could continue her predecessor’s programs. Around 16 provinces and 23 regencies and municipalities have established crisis centers to prevent violence against women and children. Almost all provinces and 223 regencies and municipalities have launched mobile services to reach women and children in remote places.
Now 34 provinces and 324 out of over 500 regencies/municipalities have committed to establish child-friendly places, an initiative called Child Friendly Indonesia 2030, in line with the global Sustainable Development Goals.
Bintang has a piece of wisdom or mantra to face those challenges. “Nothing is impossible, as long as we are willing to listen and to work hard to accomplish it,” the minister said.
