JAKARTA - DPR Speaker Puan Maharani encourages election rules that support the increase in women's representation in parliament. This is because the existence of women in legislative institutions has been regulated by the constitution.
This was conveyed by Puan following a polemic regarding Article 8 Paragraph (2) of KPU Regulation (PKPU) No. 10 of 2023 concerning the Representation of Women in the Candidacy of Members of the DPR, Provincial DPRD, and Regency/City DPRD in the 2024 General Election.
"Members of the women's House of Representatives have an important role in fighting for women, mothers, and children, because they are fighting for their own people. So the election rules must support the increase in women's representation in parliament, not the other way around," said Puan in a written statement, Thursday, May 25.
Article 8 Paragraph (2) PKPU No. 10 of 2023 regulates the issue of decimal rounding down in technical calculations of the proportion of women in one electoral district (dapil). Some are worried that the regulation can make women's representation as legislative candidates (caleg) below 30 percent.
Because in this article, it is stated that if the calculation of 30 percent of the number of female candidates in each electoral district produces a decimal fraction behind a coma of less than 50, then the calculated results are reviewed downwards. If the results are more than 50, then the calculation is carried out to round up.
The regulation is different from the 2019 election regulation where Article 6 paragraph (2) of KPU Regulation Number 20 of 2018 stipulates that if in terms of calculating 30 percent of the number of female candidates in each electoral district produces a fractional figure, then the upper rounding is carried out. Puan also hopes that the election rules will accommodate women's representation.
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"Don't let it back down again because the rules that may mean simplify the calculation process, but instead harm women," continued Puan.
Puan highlighted the report of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) which predicts that many electoral districts will be affected if the new PKPU rules are implemented. Even though currently there has been an increase in the number of women elected as members of the DPR RI.
In the 2014-2019 period, the total female DPR members were only 17 percent. However, in the 2019-2024 period, the number of women who are members of the DPR RI increased to around 21 percent.
According to Puan, the existing rules should actually support the increase in the existence of women. Moreover, it has been proven, women's leadership has brought many benefits to the welfare of the people.
An example is the success of Law No. 12 of 2022 concerning the Crime of Sexual Violence (TPKS) which was successfully ratified thanks to the struggle of the community where the majority came from women. Currently, many legislative products also support the role of women, one of which is the Draft Law on Maternal and Child Welfare (RUU KIA).
"Now there are also many female members of the Indonesian House of Representatives who occupy the leadership position of Council Apparatus (AKD). Many Indonesian women have also succeeded in becoming regional heads, or policy makers," said Puan.
In the international arena, the role of women in making decisions in a country often creates admiration for the leaders of other countries. Puan said that many countries with women's leadership were considered the most successful in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, Puan encourages women to be involved more in the political arena which will contribute if they become policy makers.
Women need politics because politics requires women. Many important decisions made by women have succeeded in making changes, "he said.
And women's representation in the political field, including parliament, is our constitutional mandate. Women's struggle in politics is not easy because the majority of the opponents are men. Don't make it more difficult with regulations that are not pro against women," added Puan.
The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture reminded that one form of violence against women is limiting human rights, including politics. In fact, said Puan, women's empowerment is one of the sustainable development targets that is a global agenda.
"Gender equality and priority towards women's rights play a very important role in the success of national development, economic growth, and security and peace of a country," said Bung Karno's grandson.
Puan also hopes that the KPU as the organizer of the election will reconsider the rules related to women's representation in parliament.
"Women play an important role in the advancement of a civilization. One of them can be done in his position as a member of parliament who is a representative of the people," concluded Puan.
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