Friday, February 22, 2013


A year of respect for Indonesian women


Paper Edition | Page: 7. Jakarta Post (Original link)

Let us start with two recent cases of disrespect toward women. First, Garut Regent Aceng Fikri took a 17-year-old girl as his second wife in an unregistered marriage (siri) only to divorce her by SMS four days later, claiming she was not a virgin. He locked her in his home for days after the wedding day.

Second, judge Muhammad Daming Sunusi, the head of the Banjarmasin High Court, told House of Representatives’ members who grilled him during a selection of Supreme Court justices that “both the victim of rape and the rapist might have enjoyed their intercourse together, so we should think twice before handing down the death penalty”.

Deanna Ramsay (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 14) said the two cases marked a bad start to the year for women. I beg to differ.

To assess respect for women in current contestation of public policy discourse, we need to look back at the history of Indonesia, where women have often played a significant role.

Kartini’s intellectual awakening and the social change she ushered in by promoting formal education for women back in the 19th century led many to continue her deeds. On the war front, Aceh’s Cut Nyak Dien’s ferocious fight against the Dutch was an inspiration in the pre-independence movement.

The two names were prominent examples of the many heroines who have shed blood, sweat and tears for a free Indonesia.

Among the cultural royalty, including religious clerics, military leaders and educated professionals that made up 68 Indonesian members of the Preparatory Body for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI), there were two female members: Siti Mangunpuspito who headed the women’s division at the Jakarta Office of Java Hokokai and Maria Ulfah, who was later appointed social services minister (1946-1947).

A historian and political scientist expressed surprise when he discovered the issue of women voting rights was unanimously passed without any prolonged debate back in 1945 despite strong patriarchic tendencies in many of Indonesia’s ethnic groups.

Founding president Sukarno appointed three more female ministers during his reign, who were SK Trimurti as manpower minister (1947-1948), Rusiah Sardjono as social services minister (1962-1966) and Artati M Sudirdjo as basic education and culture minister (1964-1966).

Such a journey was not as smooth in other countries. Unlike Indonesia, the US took 157 years after independence to install a female minister, when Frances Perkins was appointed secretary of labor under the progressive presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933. Women in the US then had to wait for another 44 years until two more women, Juanita M Krepps and Patricia R Harris, were appointed ministers during the Jimmy Carter presidency in 1977-1981.

Historically, the 56 delegates of the second Continental Congress that signed the US Declaration of Independence in 1776 were all white males and it took the Americans 144 years to grant voting rights to women in 1920. Even after 1945, seven state legislatures had yet to affirm the equal right, with Mississippi
being the last in 1984.

While its fair to argue that a progressive movement in the 20th century affected many countries in the world simultaneously, it is hard to state that respect for women in Indonesia was not an ingrained part of the independence movement here and, at least partially, was hardwired to national institutions and conventions. Nevertheless, we have to admit that the women’s movement in Indonesia has had its ups and downs along the way.

Islam, the religion of the majority of Indonesians, has sometimes been misused as justification for disrespectful acts against women. Many deliberately ignore numerous instances where the Koran and Hadiths clearly hold women in high regard. One of the latter being that the best Muslim men are those who treat women and wives the best (Hadith by Tirmidzi: 285).

Sometimes in public policy, the public backlash is more important and lasts longer than the act itself. In the cases of Aceng and Daming, the reaction was quick and harsh. Aceng faces imminent impeachment upon request of the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), while Daming has to bury his dream of wearing a Supreme Court robe after receiving a “no” vote in the House.

In both cases, the offenders fell from grace in five nasty and brutish stages.

First, unflattering comments, jokes and photo-shopped images spread like wildfire through BlackBerry messenger groups, Twitter and other social media outlets.

Second, print and electronic media highlighted their misdeeds.

Third, prominent women activists and NGOs concerned for women turned up the volume of protest.

Fourth, leaders of state institutions with built-in tendencies to protect women such as the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) and the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry, all shared their concern and condemnation.

Fifth, a very public brouhaha convinced state and political party figures to deal the two men a deadly blow.

The boycotting power of women was also evident in the cases of Puspo Wardoyo, owner of Wong Solo restaurant chain and Muslim cleric Abdullah Gymnastiar who both practice polygamy.

Indeed, the rising power of women has a positive impact on politics. Any ambitious Indonesian should avoid disrespecting women in words and deeds.

However, the trend will be more beneficial for Indonesia if the wrath of women is also turned toward dealing with corruption, poverty and environmental degradation that inflict damage on the country and its people in the long run.

In her lyrics, American singer Aretha Franklin says women deserve just a little bit of respect. In Indonesia, 2013 is a year of increasing political respect for women and will pave the way for even better years ahead.

The writer, a lecturer in planning and public policy at the University of Indonesia is deputy chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Scholar Association (ISNU).

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