The Women’s Movement is the Key to Change

Kompas - September 29, 2008

Zely Ariane

”... although legislation represents an important
start, its role cannot be more than just a
beginning. It is political reform that will continue
to be sustainable and must be complimented by
economic, social and cultural reforms -- as a
comprehensive approach for problems that are
likewise comprehensive.” (Sarah Wagner, in Feminism
Changes Society, the Women’s Liberation Struggle in
the Venezuelan Bolivarian Revolution)

One more legal umbrella has been

added for the advancement of women in Indonesia. Law

Number 2/2008 on Political Parties, which bolsters

the political opportunities for women to take part

in thinking about the direction of the country and

the advance of its people.

The broadening of space for gender mainstreaming has

been realised, but it should not just be restricted

to formal equality in political, professional and

academic circles. It also demands the distribution

of economic justice for women who are poor,

dignified employment and improving knowledge, as

well as affordable, easy and quality education so

that women are no longer just become a reserve of

votes in the name of women representation in

politics.

The 30 percent figure is the minimum limit that has

been agreed to internationally to promote women’s

representation in both parliament as well as public

positions. The campaign for this quota is a form of

the continuing struggle by women following the

achievement of demands for women’s right to vote in

the early 20th Century.

The women’s quota campaign aims to fight the

domestication of women (fighting the politics of

patriarchy) because domestication and male

domination over women under a patriarchal society is

not preordained. But this campaign will not be

completed through women’s representation in the

political parties and parliament.

In principle, this figure should be increased to 50

percent, as is in effect in Cuba and Venezuela,

which will be impossible to achieve if the state

continues to maintain patriarchy as part of its

political system and capitalism as its economic

system.

As an example, the obstacles to the application of

this quota in Indonesia will grow if scholarly

interpretations of religious teachings are not

developed and protected by the state, if illiteracy

is high and if women’s levels of education and

healthcare remain low. This is the source of the low

social capacity of women in Indonesia that must be

overcome, rather than blaming women themselves.

Women are moving from an initial point that is not

on an equal footing with men. Indonesian women have

a higher rate of illiteracy than men and education

levels that are lower then men. It is the mass

political organisations that are capable of becoming

a bridge to increase the awareness and political

knowledge of the majority of women who are the

victims of the feminization of poverty.

The women’s movement

The success of the 1998 democracy movement has made

an extraordinary contribution to the broadening of

women’s organisations. A new challenge is starting

to emerge however -- the spread of these

organisations has not been followed by the

broadening of the women’s (political) movement. This

situation is a consequence of the weak political

position of women in the face of the state so it is

extremely easy for women to be coopted by political

means (particularly the political parties) that are

not really struggling for women’s liberation, but

rather are only “serving up” women in their

leadership structures as a means to increase their

vote.

It is because of this therefore, that the

development and the broadening of the women’s

movement is a key factor in bring about reform.

There will be no reform for women without a women’s

movement. Universal suffrage was won by the first

wave of feminism, including the winning of March 8

as International Women’s Day, along with the

economic, social and cultural rights and civil and

political rights that were won by the second wave of

feminism. The influence of the women’s movement on

the advancement of women’s equality in the world was

huge. Without a movement there will be no progress,

as we are experiencing at the moment.

In Indonesia, Kartini has already laid the basis the

concept of the women’s struggle for liberation, but

this concept was realised and advanced by the

women’s movement of the 1950s and the 1960s era. A

number of advances related to the marriage law, such

as the age limit for the marriage of women and men

along with the freedom to determine one’s life

partner, are the results of women’s movements such

as Istri Sedar (Aware Wives), Gerakan Wanita Sedar

(Women’s Awareness Movement) and Gerakan Wanita

Indonesia (Gerwani, Indonesian Women’s Movement).

This is also the case with the Draft Anti-

Pornography Law which was revised due to the

widespread rejection by the movement.

It is because of this therefore, that formal gains,

such as the birth of various laws that benefit

women, must be seen as legal instruments that must

be based in practice and in a consistent manner

though pressure from the movement in order to

provide the greatest possible benefit to overcoming

the feminization of poverty.

Notes:

Kartini was an Indonesian regent's daughter during

the Dutch colonial period who, through her letters

home, outlined her dreams of a better life for

women. She died aged 25 a few days after giving

birth to her first child. A variety of myths have

made the original Kartini a nationalist hero and

feminist symbol.

[Zely Ariane is the Director of Education and

Literature with the Perempuan Mahardhika

(Independent Women’s) National Network, the

spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party-

Political Committee of the Poor (KPRM-PRD) and Hands

Off Venezuela-Indonesia.

Translated by James B