Permendikbudristek 30/2021 Will Protect Citizens' Right To Education

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The Expert Team for Sexual Prevention and Handling of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) Rika Rosvianti said that the Regulation of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Permendikbudristek) Number 30 of 2021, ensures that citizens' rights to education are maintained.

"The Ministry of Education and Culture has issued Permendikbudristek Number 30 of 2021 concerning the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence in Higher Education (Permendikbudristek PPKS)," Rika said in a written statement in Jakarta, Monday, April 11, especially victims whose education is often cut off due to sexual violence.

She added that the regulation exists to ensure that efforts to prevent and handle sexual violence are oriented to the needs of victims. In the process and its contents, the PPKS Permendikburistek maintains the inclusive and participatory principle by involving civil society networks that work on issues of violence, disability, and interfaith.

"Let's #GerakBersama support and oversee its implementation to create a #SafeBersama campus," Rika said as quoted by Antara.

Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Women's Caucus and Member of the Legislative Body of the DPR, Luluk Nur Hamidah appreciated the existence of the PPKS Permendikbudristek in order to create safe learning spaces in universities.

“This PPKS Permendikbudristek is good news and fills the void in the regulation on the prevention and handling of sexual violence that does not yet exist specifically on campus. This is not just a breakthrough, but a very clear revolutionary to protect victims of sexual violence,” Luluk said.

The Coordinator for Women and Youth for Independent Students, Kamelia Sambas, explained that the "Movement for Safe and Comfortable Learning in Higher Education" has 750 volunteers. The volunteers will simultaneously conduct campaigns on social media to give confidence to victims and potential victims. that they are not alone and can voice their sexual violence.

"We hope that the PPKS Permendikbudristek will remain the legal umbrella for the prevention and handling of sexual violence in universities. We also ask the Supreme Court judges to be wise by rejecting the judicial review lawsuit against the PPKS Permendikbudristek so as not to weaken this regulation in creating safe and comfortable learning spaces in universities," said Kamelia.

Referring to the report of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), from 2015-2020, sexual violence occurred at all levels of education. However, only 27 percent of the complaints received occurred at the tertiary level.

Based on 174 testimonies, from 79 campuses in 29 cities, 89 percent of women and 4 percent of men were victims of sexual violence. The report from the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research and Technology also shows that 77 percent of lecturers stated that they had experienced sexual violence on campus. However, 63 percent of them did not report the case.