Ideal Representation of Women Legislative Candidates is 50 Percent
Editor
30 June 2023 10:39 WIB
Weren’t there familiarization sessions when the KPU drafted the regulation?
The draft that was used (in familiarization) was different. It was like ‘the tobacco article’. It shows that our homework is never done when we overhaul and fight for a law. This is a very important lesson. We must not take it easy. Democracy doesn’t come for free.
What has been done by the women’s group?
Initially, we protested the KPU. When the KPU said they wouldn’t change it, we went to the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) on May 9 and urged them to issue a recommendation to the KPU to immediately revise the regulation. On May 10, the KPU said at a press conference that it would revise it. They (seemed to) realize their mistake.
But the KPU changed its stance after meeting with the DPR.
The Constitution Court has issued a ruling concerning the consultation between the KPU and DPR in drafting KPU regulations which states that the result of the consultation is not binding because the KPU is an independent institution. So, even if DPR members disagree, the KPU should still carry out what it announced to the public on May 10.
Political parties don’t have sufficient female candidates?
I did make sure to my women friends in politics. There are two groups, namely the Women’s Political Caucus and Women Parliamentarian’s Caucus. They assured that the parties committed to the women's representation matter could certainly fulfill the women's quota as long as they are prepared. It will be odd if they (the parties) suddenly create a narrative that they can no longer do it if there’s another regulation change.
Are there enough women legislative candidates to fill the 30 percent quota?
If they are not prepared, the parties must find new people. It’s strange if that narrative is used. It’s as if parties are asking for pity because they are afraid of not making it through the verification process due to the 30 percent quota. During the 1998 Reformasi, women made up 9 percent of total legislative members. Only in the 2004 general elections, did it increase to 14 percent and then to 18.4 percent in 2009. It rose slowly. Then it went down to 17.6 percent in 2014 and up again to 20.52 percent now. We’ve never achieved 30 percent throughout the 25 years of the post-Reformasi journey. So, it’s not really good yet.
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