The 30 Percent of Women's Representation in Parliament is not only a Matter of Numbers but also Inclusivity

 Efer Musa Tamungku

Women's representation in parliament is crucial to achieve inclusivity in the law-making process.

Feminist Society - All political contests in Indonesia from various periods show that women's involvement in parliamentary seats tends to be less than men, this provides evidence that there is still a gender gap between women and men in politics. This social life phenomenon is common, especially concerning basic rights between men and women, there is a gap that is proven by the patriarchal life system that is still rooted in which men are considered more dominant than women in various aspects of life. Conditions like this give rise to injustice towards women.

The issue of gender disparity in representative institutions or parliaments is still a concern in several countries, including Australia. Australia was the first country to recognize the right to vote and sit in parliament in 1902 after the enactment of the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 (IPU, Women's Suffrage).

The Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 was the law that gave most Australian women the right to vote in Australian federal elections. The act stated that all persons not under the age of twenty-one years, whether married or unmarried, who had resided in Australia for 6 (six) months continuously and who were indigenous or non-residents who had acquired citizenship as determined by the monarch, were entitled to vote and be elected in Australian federal elections.

This provides concrete facts that developed countries in implementing the concept of legal development that places equal rights regardless of gender can make their countries advanced. The Inter-Parliamentary Union reported that on October 1, 2017, the ratio of women to men who became members of the Indonesian parliament was still below the world average where Indonesia was ranked 100.

Basically, Indonesia has the spirit to fight for women's political rights as marked by the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). This agreement is considered as the International Charter of Rights for Women which was established by the United Nations (UN) in 1979 and came into force in 1981.

The basic principle mandated in CEDAW is that the participating countries of this international convention are obliged to ensure equality or equal participation between women and men in various fields such as politics, economics, social, culture and civil. It is stated in Article 7 of the convention that participating countries must take action to guarantee political rights for women such as the right to vote and be elected in general elections and the right to participate in the formulation of government policies.

Women's representation in legislative elections in Indonesia is regulated in Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections, where women's political rights are channeled through political parties, this channeling can be done through women's participation in building a political party or becoming part of a political party. Although women's representation in parliament continues to show an increase in each legislative election, the 30% threshold as mandated in the Election Law has not been met. This is one of the problems that must be immediately resolved.

You can also read: The Importance of Women's Participation in Politics

The need to increase women's representation can be accommodated in Politics as reflected in Law No. 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections. Article 245 states that the list of prospective DPR and DPRD candidates submitted by political parties must contain at least 30 percent female representation. The consequence of the concept of women's representation in parliament is a form of coercive regulation, because there is a disqualification mechanism as an election participant if the management at the central level of women does not meet the 30% quota.

The regulation provides instructions to force political parties to meet a minimum quota of 30% women. In principle, there are four reasons why women's quotas in elections are important. First, it demands the principle of justice for men and women. Second, it offers a role model for the success of female politicians. Third, it identifies the special interests of women that are not visible. Fourth, it emphasizes the differences in women's relationships with politics, while also showing their presence in improving the quality of politics. This mechanism is a form of Go Politics from women, not only as an activity to enter the process, mechanism, institution, and political system (crafting democracy) but also as a form of participation in women's political representation that is able to expand the constituent base (broadening base). In this effort, affirmative action is important for building women's political strategies.

In the future, it is hoped that the 30% threshold mechanism for women's representation as members of the People's Representative Council can be fulfilled purely and consistently, in order to realize an inclusive political system through optimal women's representation in parliament.

If you are interested in issues related to gender equality and in-depth discussion about feminism, let's join with Feminist Society. Feminist Society aims to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights activism through education and advocacy. To get related articles, please visit the page https://feminist-society.blogspot.com/.

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The Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections.

Azizah Ratu Buana Khan & Ruli Agustin. The Judicialization of Politics on the Testing of the Constitutionality of the Age Limits of Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates by the Constitutional Court. Journal of Law, Politic, and Humanities. Volume 4. Number 4. (2024). https://dinastires.org/JLPH/article/view/433

https://giwps.georgetown.edu/why-ratifying-the-convention-on-the-elimination-of-discrimination-against-women-cedaw-is-good-for-americas-domestic-policy/

Alpha Girls Is not just A Series, There Is A Real Picture of Patriarchy in Our Society

Auliana Sakinah Putri

Feminist Society - Alpha Girls is an Indonesian original series that premiered on the streaming platform VIU on Friday, 5 July 2024. Alpha Girls is a series of family dramas with elements of comedy. In simple terms, the series tells the life of a successful businessman named Alpha (Tanta Ginting) who has two wives, Nova (Tessa Kaunang) and Luna (Yeyen Lidya). From the two wives, Alpha was gifted two daughters named Ivy (Tissa Biani) and Sierra (Jihane Almira).

As a spectacle, the series provides enough entertainment with elements of tickling comedy and is relatable enough to be prepared because it raises the theme of family. But behind this quite entertaining story, it is clearly captured how patriarchal it is still rooted in Indonesian culture. The synopsis of the story seems to want to normalize the culture of patriarchy and the domination of men over women. There are several issues that can be highlighted in the series.

Normalizing Polygamy

From a religious perspective, especially Islam does allow polygamy under certain conditions. However, this does not necessarily make it easy for men to commit polygamy. A man who commits polygamy must obtain permission from his first wife and perform it when there are biological conditions that cannot be met by the first wife such as the need for conjugal sex and for procreation. Polygamy can also be based on the purpose of raising orphan women or poor widows with a legitimate path according to Sharia in the form of marriage for the sole purpose of increasing devotion to God. But the reason for polygamy from Alpha is completely at odds with religious values and does not indicate any such urgency. Revealed in the story, Alpha's goal of continuing to marry is because he only wants to acquire a son who can carry on his company. Such reasons are subjective and indicate only the nature of male egoism.

Commercializing Women's Self-Esteem

In the series Alpha Girls are also told the conditions where Alpha's first wife and second wife always do not get along and compete continuously. One of the most interesting is Alpha's attitude in persuading his two wives when there is a dispute. Where Alpha often apologizes to his wives by seducing them into giving away luxury items. As seen in episode 7 where Alpha is discovered by his two wives to have remarried to the wife of the third. On the basis of this, both wives are angry with Alpha and leave the house, unwilling to meet Alpha. In the episode, Alpha persuades Luna (his second wife) with the lure of being bought the latest Hermes bag. It shows how women's self-esteem can be bought with money and luxury as if commercializing women's self-esteem and perceiving women as objects. The depiction also seems to belittle the condition of infidelity, which seems to be a minor mistake and can be easily forgiven simply by buying things as an apology. However, infidelity can also have an impact on families, where children will tend to be depressed and mentally disturbed when they find out their parents are cheating, let alone end up in divorce.

Underestimating Women's Abilities

Alpha's main reason for continuing to marry was to find sons in order to carry on his company (Alpha Corps). The premise of the series seems to illustrate that women can't lead companies and shouldn't be running public jobs. In practice, this does not only occur in the context of companies or private institutions but also includes government institutions. Although today the number of women in the Civil Apparatus of the State (ASN) is more than men, the women who occupy the seats of the High Leadership Officials (PPT) are still under 20 percent.

You can also read: Gender Bias in AI: Mitigating Strategies

If you are interested in issues related to gender equality and in-depth discussion about feminism, let's join with Feminist Society. Feminist Society aims to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights activism through education and advocacy. To get related articles, please visit the page feminist-society.blogspot.com.

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Muhammad Syarif. Dampak Perceraian terhadap Psikologis, Emosional, dan Mental Anak dalam Perspektif Hukum Islam. SYARIAH Journal of Islamic Law. Volume 4. Number 2. (2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.22373/sy.v4i2.580

https://lestari.kompas.com/read/2023/08/30/080000086/perempuan-di-level-pejabat-pimpinan-tinggi-masih-di-bawah-20-persen

https://www.dailysia.com/alpha-girls/

 

 

Gender Bias in AI: Mitigating Strategies

 Zulkhadir Riandi

Feminist Society - Today, the course of life in the era of the 5.0 industrial revolution has brought increasingly heavy digital and technological developments, in which digital and technological advances continue to evolve. One of the connections is with the existence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that continues to advance and evolve throughout all lines of human life. Where today, almost anything in the digital world can be run easily with the help of AI.

On the one hand, AI has a positive impact because it can make it easier for us where AI can generate whatever we order based on clear and specific prompts. But on the other hand, AI actually has a negative side, where AI tends to be gender-biased. For example, AI or other search engine mechanisms tends to generate or deliver results with a majority of men in jobs such as doctors and women in nurses. Another example can be seen when we carry out searches related to everything related to childcare, which is always associated with the mother, as if it were only the role of the mother, whereas childcare is the responsibility of both parents (mother and father).

You can also Read: The Importance of Paternity Leave in Promoting Gender Equality and Family Well-Being

AI systems are biased because they are human creations. Who makes decisions informing AI systems and who is on the team developing AI systems shapes their development. Unsurprisingly, there is a huge gender gap: Only 22 percent of professionals in AI and data science fields are women—and they are more likely to occupy jobs associated with less status. In terms of gender bias from data, data points are snapshots of the world we live in, and the large gender data gaps we see are partly due to the gender digital divide. For example, some 300 million fewer women than men access the Internet on a mobile phone, and women in low- and middle-income countries are 20 percent less likely than men to own a smartphone. These technologies generate data about their users, so the fact that women have less access to them inherently skews datasets. Even when data is generated, humans collecting data decide what to collect and how.

How to Mitigate Gender Bias in AI?

Mitigating gender bias in AI algorithms is crucial for creating fair and equitable systems. Here are some strategies:

1.       Diverse Data Collection

Gathering diverse and representative data during model training will have direct implications in overcoming gender bias in AI. Therefore, we have to ensure that the dataset includes various gender identities, backgrounds, and experiences.

2.       Bias Detection and Audits

Regularly audit AI models for bias. Identify discriminatory patterns and adjust the algorithms accordingly. Tools like fairness metrics and adversarial testing can help. This mechanism is of paramount importance to persistently prevent gender bias in AI systems.

3.       Feature Engineering

Be mindful of features that might introduce bias. Remove or adjust features related to gender, race, or other sensitive attributes. Thereby, the full awareness of the technicians and all parties involved in the creation of AI systems is really needed.

4.       Balanced Representation

Oversample underrepresented groups to balance the dataset. This helps prevent the majority group from dominating the model’s predictions. The more representative of gender participation in creating AI systems is, the better AI systems will be.

5.       Ethical Guidelines

Develop clear guidelines for AI development that address bias. Involve ethicists, social scientists, and affected communities in the process. By making good guidelines for AI creation, it will drive a better procedure that takes into consideration gender equality.

Remember that bias elimination is an ongoing effort. By combining technical solutions with ethical considerations, we can create AI systems that treat everyone fairly.

If you are interested in issues related to gender equality and in-depth discussion about feminism, let's join with Feminist Society. Feminist Society aims to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights through education and advocacy. To get related articles, please visit the page feminist-society.blogspot.com.

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Ayesha Nadeem et al. Gender Bias in AI: A Review of Contributing Factors and Mitigating Strategies. AIS Electronic Library. (2020). https://aisel.aisnet.org/acis2020/27/

https://ssir.org/articles/entry/when_good_algorithms_go_sexist_why_and_how_to_advance_ai_gender_equity

https://analyticsindiamag.com/understanding-ai-biases-and-ways-to-fix-them/

 

Forced Marriage: A Violation of Human Rights

Muhammad Emil Hakim Aba

Feminist Society - In societies across the globe, forced marriage remains a deeply entrenched issue that violates fundamental human rights. This practice, which disregards individual autonomy and consent, perpetuates cycles of abuse and suffering. This article explores the complexities of forced marriage, its impact, and the global efforts to combat it.

Understanding Forced Marriage

Forced marriage occurs when one or both parties enter into a marital union without their free and informed consent. Unlike arranged marriages, where families or intermediaries facilitate introductions and both parties willingly participate, forced marriages lack genuine choice. Coercion, threats, emotional manipulation, and physical violence are often used to compel individuals into these unions.

Forced marriage operates along a continuum of coercion. At one end, overt violence and explicit threats force compliance. At the other end, subtle psychological pressure, emotional blackmail, and cultural norms exert influence. Regardless of the method, the absence of true consent defines forced marriage.

Global Prevalence

Forced marriages persist in various cultural contexts worldwide. Regions such as South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East report higher prevalence rates. However, this issue transcends borders, affecting individuals from diverse backgrounds. It is essential to recognize that forced marriage is not limited to any specific religion, ethnicity, or socioeconomic group. In the context of Indonesia, forced marriages are still problematic, based on Article 4 paragraph (1) of Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Criminal Sexual Violence, forced marriage is one of the forms of criminal sexual violence that cannot be justified. However, the practice still continues where that practice is frequently associated with culture and customs. Therefore, all parties must strive to stop the practice of forced marriages. That is a violation of human rights. In addition, the practice could result so many negative consequences such as loss of autonomy, health risks, education disruption, domestic violence, and many more.

Indonesia as a country based on just and civilized humanity has specifically explained in Article 28B paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution which regulates the right to have a family and continue offspring that every child has the right to survival, growth, and development and the right to self-protection from violence and discrimination.  This regulation clearly emphasizes that in order to build commitment and family unity, all forms of discrimination and coercion over individual rights to enter into a marriage bond are not permitted.

In Article 6 paragraph (1) of Marriage Law, implicitly states that marriage must be approved by both parties entering into the marriage without any element of coercion from any party because the purpose of marriage is that the husband and wife can build a lasting and happy family, and fulfill human rights. This means that marriages that take place under any threat are not permitted and are a violation of the law for those who carry them out.  Marriage must be based on the desires, willingness and consent of each party.  Therefore, one party (husband or wife) is allowed to apply for an annulment of the marriage as stipulated in Article 27 paragraph (1) of Marriage Law.

From a global perspective, countries worldwide have taken steps to address forced marriage. In Australia for instance, the government criminalized forced marriage, imposing penalties of up to seven years’ imprisonment. In the United Kingdom, the Anti-social Behavior, Crime and Policing Act 2014 made forced marriage illegal, even if it occurs abroad. Furthermore, there are also Civil Protection Orders to prevent forced marriages which are applied in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Indonesia should follow the example of these countries to stop the practice of forced marriage. So far, there are so many weaknesses in the context of implementation in the field, one of the real instances is the limitations of the Regional Technical Implementation Unit for the Protection of Women and Children (Unit Pelaksana Teknis Daerah Perlindungan Perempuan dan Anak). There are so many cities/regencies in Indonesia that have not formed UPTD PPA yet. In fact, it is an obligation to establish UPTD PPA in every local area as mandated in the Sexual Violence Crime Law.

Conclusion

Forced marriage persists, but collective action can make a difference. By raising awareness, supporting survivors, and implementing legal protections, we move toward a world where every individual’s right to choose their life partner is respected. Let us stand together against this grave violation of human rights.

If you are interested in issues related to gender equality and in-depth discussion about feminism, let's join with Feminist Society. Feminist Society aims to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights through education and advocacy. To get related articles, please visit the page feminist-society.blogspot.com.

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The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

The Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Criminal Sexual Violence.

The Law Number 16 of 2019 concerning Amendments to the Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage.

Rachael Clawson et al. Forced Marriage: Implications for Mental Health and Intellectual Disability Services. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. Volume 19. Issue 2. (March 2013). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.bp.111.009316

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1138699/what_is_forced_marriage_0223.pdf

https://www.api-gbv.org/about-gbv/types-of-gbv/forced-marriage/

https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/forced-marriage

https://www.ag.gov.au/crime/people-smuggling-and-human-trafficking/forced-marriage

https://www.tahirih.org/news/addressing-forced-marriage-at-any-age-requires-comprehensive-solutions/

https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/crime-prevention/crime-types/domestic-abuse/forced-marriage

ARN’s Journey Goes Beyond the Comfort Zone: From A Teenage Who Received Verbal and Physical Bullying to Becoming A Career Woman Who Is the Backbone of the Family

“No matter who you are, how bad your past was, you have the right to have a dream” — Said ARN when interviewed directly by the Feminist Society team through an online meeting on Thursday, 20 June 2024. ARN is a real portrayal that women are not supposed to be underestimated since they also have the same chances in every field as men. Those incredible visions came from her personal experience when she underwent directly discriminatory treatment when she was a child. Coming from a small village in Kalimantan, ARN grew up in an environment where status as a poor woman was regarded as less important, and her rights were frequently done away with. Spending her teenage years in elementary and middle school in Kalimantan, ARN got bullied by her friends just because she was poor. Even they were not only verbal bullying but also physical bullying.

That experience really traumatized her until at one point she did not want to remember that childhood. “Most people probably would consider their childhood was fun and really want to go back if they could, but for me, it is different, I will not, even to recall that one I will not”. It was a bad day for ARN, hence she had to escape from that condition to change her life to be better.

That was the beginning of ARN’s motivation to progress and develop. To make ends meet during school, she worked as a helper at her aunt's restaurant to continue making ends meet. Then after junior high school, ARN intended to leave Kalimantan because she believed that to develop further we had to get out of an unsupportive environment. With her good academic abilities, ARN was finally able to continue her vocational studies in Malang in the field of culinary arts with a scholarship.

While she was in Malang, ARN really wanted to take advantage of all the opportunities available by trying many things. While attending school, ARN became a model and earned side income from there. Because when she was in Malang, ARN studied at a Catholic school which could be said to be very expensive, even though ARN received a scholarship there were still other expenses that ARN had to pay. Finally, apart from being a model, ARN also worked in the hospitality sector to make ends meet. With hard work, ARN was finally able to complete her studies in Malang

After studying vocational school in Malang, ARN then moved to Bali and worked for 2 years in Bali and then moved again to Balikpapan. It could be said that this position was the best point for her, by working in Bali and Balikpapan ARN was able to become financially stable. ARN was finally able to help pay off her parents' debts, help renovate her parents' house, and send her siblings to school until they graduated.

That success is not only achieved easily, many sacrifices have been made, starting from becoming a sales promotion girl for a cigarette brand, becoming a model in a nightclub and many more things have been done to survive to the point of financial success. With the financial stability she had, ARN then saw the opportunity to open a laundry business. After some time, her laundry business finally achieved success and earned a turnover of hundreds of millions.

At this point of success, ARN finally found her passion in the field of communications so she was moved to become a professional waitress who could work on cruise ships and be able to travel around the world and see the beauty of the world out there.

Realizing that to achieve her dream, there are many things that she must fight for and learn, one of which is English itself. At that point, ARN finally started her journey to learn English. In the end, when ARN had acquired English language skills, she finally received paid internship offers in three different places (Jakarta, Bali and Malaysia). Once again, ARN saw a big opportunity if she chose to go to Malaysia because apart from being paid quite well there, she could also prepare herself, especially in English language habits, considering that the English language culture in Malaysia is higher compared to Indonesia.

Now ARN has been running a paid internship program for 3 months in Malaysia and will end next September. After the paid internship process is complete, she will immediately prepare herself for all the subsequent needs and preparations towards her dream of becoming a professional cruise ship waitress who is ready to see the world. ARN's journey is proof that everyone has the right to dream regardless of gender. "Women are not slaves to men, women are equal to men, so don't be afraid to chase our dreams, we are women, we have the right to dream." ARN's voice is a loud voice to voice gender equality, it is a call to all women out there not to be afraid to chase dreams.

In our section with ARN, we finally agreed on several crucial things, where Feminist Society will always support her and we also gave several recommendations to her on what she could do to deal with several challenges forward regarding discriminatory treatment against her rights as a woman.

If you have any case related to gender equality or feminist issues and you need either advocacy assistance, counseling, support for campaign media, or some kind of that, feel free to contact us by this section. All of those things are free, you do not need to pay anything, it is our commitment to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights through education and advocacy.

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