Kemenhaj: 33.2 Percent of Female Hajj Officers, for the Safety of the Community

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said that as many as 33.2 percent of the total Hajj officers this year are women, which is expected to increase the comfort of Hajj pilgrims, especially female Hajj pilgrims.

Deputy Minister of Hajj Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak after leading the morning appeal and running with the participants in the Hajj Dormitory Pondok Gede, Jakarta, Saturday, January 17 morning, said that the percentage of female Hajj officers exceeded the ministry's initial target which set a quota of 30 percent.

He explained that the increase in the ratio of female officers was not without reason.

Based on demographic data, most Indonesian pilgrims are women. Therefore, the presence of female officers is crucial to provide more humane, comfortable, and Sharia-compliant services, especially in matters of private and worship consultation.

"This is indeed the policy of the Minister, we want to affirm women because most of our pilgrims are women," said Dahnil, quoted by Antara.

He highlighted the many complaints and input from previous years, where female worshipers often felt awkward or shy if they had to consult with male officers about worship or women's health issues. With a proportional number of female officers, a personal approach can be carried out more effectively.

"They will be more comfortable when communicating with other women. For example, consulting on worship, ideally talking to female officers. So that the approach can be more personal and emotional," he said.

Apart from the aspect of communication comfort, Dahnil also emphasized the importance of the aspect of empathy. The officers, both men and women, are educated to regard the pilgrims, especially the elderly, as their own parents. However, the presence of female officers provides a specific maternal and caring atmosphere, which is much needed by female pilgrims who are far from their families.

Regarding future projections, he stated that the ratio of female officers would continue to be evaluated so that it remains proportional to the number of male and female worshipers.

"What is clear is that we will see the proportionality later," said Dahnil.

The policy is expected to provide peace of mind for families of pilgrims in the country. By knowing that their mothers or grandmothers are served by female officers who have a high character of empathy and sympathy, the families left behind will feel safer and more comfortable releasing their relatives to fulfill the fifth pillar of Islam.