Nasruddin Umar: Culture - Interpretation Becomes One Of The Causes Of Violence Against Women

Nasarudin Umar (ANTARA)

JEMBER - The cultural issue of interpretation of religious teachings that are narrow to the participation of women in life is one of the causes of violence against women. This was conveyed by the Professor of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta Prof. KH. Nasruddin Umar at the University of Jember Campus, East Java, Saturday.

According to him, Indonesia already has around 13 laws and regulations aimed at protecting women, including Law no. 23 of 2014 concerning the Elimination of Domestic Violence (KDRT), "However, there is still discrimination and violence against Indonesian women," he said at an international conference on gender and feminism at the Jember University Campus, East Java, Saturday.

Therefore, he said, Indonesian Muslims need to reinterpret the Koran so that women are placed properly. Cultural and interpretational issues cannot be released in an understanding of religion.

For example, all major religions such as Jews, Christians and Islam are born in a continental area that has its own culture. When Islam is present in the archipelago which is an archipelago, this culture also enters Indonesia which has its own culture.

In addition to culture, he continued, the second problem is the interpretation chapter because in interpreting the Koran, the issue of who interprets, the culture of the interpretationist's origin to language problems will also formulate the final results of the interpretation, so it is necessary to reread the Koran.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor of Unej Iwan Taruna said that the first ICoGeF activity was an answer to challenges for PSG friends at the University of Jember to hold national and even international level academic activities.

"As a country with the largest number of Muslims, it is appropriate for us to take part in efforts to support women's participation in various fields. Hopefully, this activity can produce recommendations and open cooperation between researchers and women's study activists," he said.

PSG chairman Unej Linda Dwi Eriyanti in her report said as many as 156 speakers would convey their ideas during two days of international conference activities on October 21-22, 2023.

The seminar was attended by researchers, lecturers and women's study activists from universities in Jember, Makassar, Yogyankarta, Madura, as well as representatives from the NGOs and representatives from the Jember Police and the Jember Regency Government.

The Center for Gender Studies (PSG) of the University of Jember (Unej) held the "The First International Conference on Gender and Feminism" of the 2023 Women convention (IcoGeF) presenting several sources both from within the country and abroad.

Prof. Nasruddin Umar metaf became a keynote speaker in the activity along with other speakers, namely Prof. Etin Anwar from Hobart and Williams Smith Colleges United States, Onanong Thippimol Thammasat University, Thailand and R. Laksmi Priya CEO of Pachiderm Thales, India.