Komnas Perempuan: Women Defenders Of Human Rights Objects Of Gender-Based Violence Online

Illustration of the Komnas Perempuan Building in Jakarta. (doc. Setkab)

JAKARTA - The head of Komnas Perempuan Andy Yentriyani said that women who are human rights defenders often experience obstacles in carrying out their mission. In particular, they become targets of gender-based violence in cyberspace or cyber. "Women who defend human rights also experience cyber violence, such as hacking, impersonation, supervision, surveillance, illegal content, defamation, even sexual messages or sexual harassment through cyber," he said in an online webinar with the theme "Coopercing the Protection Framework for Women Defenders of Human Rights", Tuesday, November 29, quoted from Antara. In addition, hate speech also often targets women who are human rights defenders in cyberspace. Andy also said that actually, women who are human rights defenders have an important role in the enforcement and progress of human rights in Indonesia. However, to carry out these human rights defense efforts, said Andy, they must face various challenges. The National Commission for recording 87 cases of violence against women who are human rights defenders in the 2015 to 2021 time range. "In 2020 there were 36 cases and 2021 there were 23 cases of violence against women who defended human rights and this number rose significantly when compared to 2019 where the National Human Rights recorded only five cases," he said. The increase in this case shows the increasingly vulnerable position of women who are human rights defenders in carrying out their activities. The existence of human rights defenders is quite important to be companions to victims of women's violence, agrarian activists, natural resources, religious freedom and belief as well as other issues that have an impact on women's lives. "The National Commission of Women gives the highest appreciation to all human rights defenders who continue to struggle in upholding and advancing human rights, especially women's human rights in various situations with full risk," he said.

As a national human rights institution that focuses on efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and the progress of women's rights, Komnas Perempuan cooperates with the Indonesian Insani Protection Foundation to develop security protection manuals for women who are human rights defenders. who are often vulnerable to violence and criminalization from various parties. "We also hope that this manual can improve public understanding of women who are human rights defenders and the urgency of their presence to ensure the implementation of state responsibility for the rights of their citizens in a dignified manner," he said.