More than 60 civil society groups under the Women’s Movement against Violence Alliance (Gerak Perempuan) plan to take to the streets on the International Women’s Day on Sunday to demand the government to stop its systematic violence against women including transgender women.

The groups believe violence against women has rooted from the patriarchal values embedded through the government, the legislative, the cultural, religion and even educational institutions.

“Violence is not only promoted but rather executed by the state,” Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) chair Asfinawati said in a press conference Thursday.

She cited unresolved rape cases in which rape was an ancient way to show domination and almost always used in many conflicts like those taking place during the May 1998 riot. Furthermore, she also said women were susceptible to violence not only in their homes but also in public places such as the street, public transportation, workplace, school and even on the internet.

The 2019 report of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) revealed 406,178 cases of violence against women were reported throughout the year, up from 348,466 cases in 2018.

“The society and government still see violence against women partially as domestic and sexual violence only,” Asfinawati said, adding that violence against women took many forms and dimensions including economic and political violence and that it was all caused by the gender-based division of labor.

She further gave an example of the gender pay gap.

“Garment industry workers are 90 percent women. They were paid low because society thinks sewing is a woman’s job that doesn’t require high skill and therefore shouldn’t be paid high. Domestic workers are even still deemed as an informal sector and not a real job,” she said.

Congress of Indonesia Unions Alliance (KASBI) chair Nining Elitos mentioned how the state legitimate economic violence against women through the President Instruction No. 9/2013 on Labor Intensive Sector.

“The regulation allows regions to stipulate labor-intensive sector minimum wage lower than the minimum wage standard,” she said.

Violence against woman also took form in the alienation of women from decision making, Afina of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) said, referring to the exclusion of the indigenous people including the women from the deliberation of the omnibus bill on job creation. She explained that most indigenous women were usually employed as outsource workers and paid low.

She added that the impoverishment of indigenous women would also threaten the loss of knowledge about planting seeds, traditional medicines and various arts.

The rally will start on Sunday at 10 a.m. in front of the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) office in Central Jakarta where protestors — expected to be hundreds of them — would slowly march to the Presidential Palace.

The Jakarta administration has called for fewer mass gatherings following the confirmed COVID-19 cases. However, Gerak Perempuan coordinator Lini Zurlia said the groups would continue to rally as they have made several anticipations.

“We’ve been urging any individuals who wanted to join the rally but in a sick condition not to force joining. [The sick] can show solidarity and support virtually,” she said.

The groups have also prepared paramedics and standard medical equipment. (aly)

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The demands urged by Gerak Perempuan on International Women's Day

* Recognize and settled all kinds of violence against women including the demolition of the 1965 women movement, the 1998 rape, the murder of labor activist Marsinah and all of the violence that happened after the reformation.

* Make a comprehensive system to protect women from violence including by optimizing the antidomestic violence bill, admit the concept of power relation as the source of violence against women, use the perspective of the victim and ensure the participation of women in the regulation-making.

* Revoke all products of national and regional regulation that discriminate, criminalize and perpetuate violence against women and the LGBT groups.

* Push for the regulation that will protect women from violence including the antisexual violence bill, the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 on the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace, the ILO Convention No. 183 on maternity protection and ILO Convention No. 189 concerning decent work for domestic workers.

* Cancel all bills that threaten women under further repression and exploitation including the job creation omnibus bill, the family resilience bill and the criminal code.

* Recognize gender identity and sexual orientation diversity and stop all kinds of criminalization to LGBT groups.

* Run a gender-equal state system and prioritize the fulfillment of human rights into the cornerstone of development.

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