Breaking The Record For Women's Representation In The DPR, Puan Please Srikandi Parliament Responsively Handle Community Problems

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, and members of the women's House of Representatives for the period 2024-2029/FOTTO: DPR Media

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, appreciated the number of female House of Representatives members for the 2024-2029 period, which was considered to have broken records because it was the most in history.

Puan hopes that the increase in women's representation in legislative institutions will not only be in terms of quantity, but also in terms of quality.

Puan believes that the DPR can immediately realize an affirmative policy in the form of 30 percent of women's representation in parliament. Thus, he assessed, the role of women or Srikandi Parliament will maximally color all processes in the DPR.

"We hope that women's representation in parliament will reach 30 percent soon. Because women's representation in parliament can strengthen the quality of democracy, parliament will be more responsive to various problems in society," said Puan in her statement, Friday, October 18.

As is known, the acquisition of women's member seats in the DPR for the 2024 '2029 period is the highest in the history of election results. In this period of the DPR, there were 127 women who filled the parliamentary seats out of a total of 580 council members.

The representation of women in the DPR for the 2024-2029 period increased by 22.1 percent and made a new history in Indonesia. In the 1999 election, the percentage of female DPR members was only 8.2 percent. Then in the 2004 General Election it was at 11.5 percent

Furthermore, in the 2009 election, there were 18 percent of women in the DPR, the 2014 election fell to 17.3 percent, the 2019 election for female DPR members was 20.5 percent, and for the 2024 General Election the figure rose to 21.9 percent or there were 127 female council members.

The chairman of the PDIP DPP reminded members of the women's House of Representatives not to regard this success as merely a number achievement. According to him, the increase in women's representation in the DPR should be considered as progress in the struggle for women's empowerment.

"This achievement is a big step in realizing more inclusive and responsive politics on various issues, especially related to gender equality," said the first chairman of the women's House of Representatives.

The chairman of the DPR for two periods also said that the success of women to walk to Senayan is proof that gender equality in politics is not just a discourse.

"This is a reality that will change the face of the national legislation. So the increase in women's representation in the DPR must be able to present issues and formulation of gender-responsive policies, because women know best about their needs," explained Puan.

The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture also asked members of the women's council to continue the success of the DPR for the previous period, especially on issues of protection and distinction of women.

Under the leadership of Puan, the DPR for the 2019-2024 period succeeded in distributing Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning the Crime of Sexual Violence (TPKS) which has been fighting for 10 years. Even the TPKS Law is considered the initial milestone in the elimination of sexual violence in Indonesia which has become an iceberg phenomenon.

"Parliamentary women must bring a new perspective that is more comprehensive in the policy-making process, especially in the issue of protecting women and children, family welfare, reproductive health, to empowering women's economy," said Puan.