The Council of Foreign Relations noted that Indonesia is ranked seventh out of ten countries with the highest child marriage rates in the world. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia's position is even in the second highest after Cambodia (Media Indonesia, 17 April 2018). The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) said the same thing. From the data it manages, there is one in nine girls in Indonesia who are under the age of 18 getting married (Katadata.com, 9 August 2018).
In the political field, Indonesia is in the 114th position out of 192 countries in the world in terms of the level of representation of women in the national parliament. In the ASEAN region (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Indonesia's position is also not proud by being the sixth rank (Inter-Parliamnet Union data as of February 1, 2019).
In fact, in Indonesia's political history, this country has never achieved 30 percent women's representation in parliament. In the 2004 general election, the level of women's representation was only 11.82 percent. 2009 Election, 17.86 percent. 2014 election, 17.32 percent. 2019 Election, 20.5 percent (Detik.com, 20 August 2018).
Regarding the women's condition, Tuesday (10/12), Plan International Indonesia held the event "Summit on Girls, Getting Equal: Let's Invest in Girls!" at Balai Kartini, Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta. Touching on political issues, Plan held a discussion with the topic “She Votes for Her Right” in a one-day discussion series. Election activists, women's issue activists, and politicians were present to share their thoughts.
Elections provide investment space for young women
There are 13 internationally recognized electoral principles. Two of them are free and fair. One of the embodiments of the fair principle is the principle of one person, one vote, one value (opovov) or one person, one vote, one value. Equality of vote values is a message that everyone, regardless of profession, educational background, and social status, is the same. The principle of opovov in short is an acknowledgment of human dignity, including women in it.
“As humans, we are given voting rights regardless of class and economy, regardless of whether we are professors or students. The votes are counted equally. Women's voices are as valuable as men's," said the Executive Director of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) during the "She Votes for Her Right" discussion.
Titi further explained that the election provides investment space for young women. In the realm of voters, the state and civil society can invest in young women by providing political education so that young women can exercise their voting rights for the benefit of society at large and a healthy environment, especially the interests of women in all fields. In the realm of election organizers, the Election and Regional Election Law (UU) provides space for women aged at least 17 years to become Voting Organizer Groups (KPPS). And in the realm of election participants, women aged at least 25 years can run for regents and mayors.
"So, let's invest in girls. The election provided investment for young women in politics. Those who want to be participants in the election, come forward as participants in the election. If you want to be an election organizer, please become an election organizer. Those who become voters, their presence must be part of strengthening the interests of women," said Titi.
In the realm of election participants, Titi alluded to the discourse of regional heads being elected by the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) and the president by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Titi considered the discourse to have corrupted reform achievements and closed women's channels to lead as regional heads or presidents.
“We invest in girls, but if political space is blocked, will our investment find a channel? Maybe it's just an investment, but not finding canalization. So, the way we maintain democracy, facilitate the rights of citizens, that's how we invest in women," she said.
The achievements of the reform and gender equality agenda require more specific actions. Currently, in the mechanism for recruitment of election organizers and candidacy in the Pilkada, special measures for women have not been presented. In fact, women do not have as much social, economic and political capital as men.
“Affirmative action is still relevant. Seizing power knows no gender. It is difficult for women if there is no affirmative action,” said Titi.
Titi encourages the role of sisterhood or brotherhood among women among voters, election administrators, and politicians. By synergizing, collaborating, and innovating together, it is believed that the politics of equality and politics for justice, with women as actors at the vanguard, can be realized.
What was called by Titi was welcomed by a young politician, Puteri Komaruddin. After telling about her efforts to solve the problem of moneylenders or mobile banks that befell housewives in her constituency, Puteri said that as a young female politician, even though she benefits from the nomination process with a big name and the position of her father, Ade Komaruddin, a senior politician from the Golkar Party. (Golkar), it is still difficult to convince fellow policy makers, the majority of men, that what they bring represents the interests of many people. Therefore, sisterhood is expected to be able to help young women politicians by creating a support system.
“It is not easy to be a woman member of the DPR, especially in the midst of a very masculine party situation. The meeting room is filled with cigarette smoke, women's opinions are considered not to represent everyone's voice, and women are considered to make decisions by prioritizing feelings. Even though that's not true," said Puteri.
Sisterhood is also needed by women candidates for election organizer. As told by Irma, a farmer from Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi, without any special action for women and support from fellow women to voice their defense of women, women in the area struggle alone. Irma is a former candidate for members of the Regional General Election Commission (KPUD) who has passed the top ten selection with the score she claims is the best. However, she was not chosen because the selection team preferred candidates who had the same organization or kinship.
“I was once a member of KPPS, until I became chairman of the PPK (Subdistrict Election Committee) for two terms. However, our achievements in that area do not become a provision to become a KPU commissioner in the regions. The KPU members in Takalar are all male. Selection, I entered the top ten. I'm the only woman. I got the best score, but those under me were chosen,” said Irma in the same discussion.
Responding to the need for sisterhood in the political field, Secretary General of the Indonesian Women's Coalition (KPI), Dian Kartikasari stated that she would mobilize her organization to defend women who do not get their rights due to political nepotism or acts of collusion and corruption. Dian confirmed that there were irregularities in the selection process for KPUD members.
“Friends at the KPU have experienced that. If you want to be, you have to pay. In KPI, the important thing is that she is honest, accountable, we will help to fight against that. We ask, so that we can help, please voice what's wrong!" said Dian.
Also present at the discussion "She Votes for Her Right" politician from the NasDem Party, Muhammad Farhan. He supports all parties, not only women, to strengthen gender perspectives in organizations, communities, and the community. The message is that policies with a gender perspective must side with the most vulnerable gender groups.
References:
https://katadata.co.id/infografik/2018/08/09/perkawinan-anak-di-indonesia-mengkhawatirkan
https://mediaindonesia.com/read/detail/155693-tingkat-perkawinan-anak-indonesia-urutan-ke-2-di-asean
http://archive.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm
https://news.detik.com/kolom/d-4174432/keterwakilan-perempuan-dalam-politik
