However, Agus Wijayanto, WFD Country Representative in Indonesia, said, “Women make up almost 50 per cent of the Indonesian population, yet they have not been adequately represented in our parliament. Women’s representation in the parliament has been increasing – they now occupy almost 22 per cent of seats, compared to nine per cent in the country’s first democratic election in 1999. The panelists spoke of how they themselves faced discrimination and hostility while running for office. Today, we gather here to convey a clear message: we must act together to break the culture of silence that perpetuates violence against women.”ĭiah Pitaloka, Chairperson of the Presidium of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, called on all parties to immediately ensure the protection of women from all forms of violence as citizens who actively participate in both general and regional elections.ĭuring the event, representatives from the parliament, the National Commission on Violence against Women, leaders of political parties, and civil society activists discussed the structural and normative barriers to women in politics. Puan Maharani, Speaker of the House of Representatives (the country’s first female Speaker), signed the declaration virtually and said: “From gendered double standards to sexual harassment, the unique obstacles faced by women running for offices need to be brought into sharp relief. The signing was a part of the “parliamentarians standing up to violence against women in politics” event, organised by WFD in partnership with UN Women Indonesia to mark the United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus comprises all 167 women members of the House of Representatives and the Regional Representative Council. The document, signed at the parliament building, is the first-ever official declaration in the country that explicitly addresses gender-based violence in politics, one of the biggest obstacles to women achieving full political rights. The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus of the Republic of Indonesia signed a declaration today to “condemn any form of gender-based violence that hinders women from fulfilling their equal rights” and to urge all groups to allow women to safely participate in politics.
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