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Women's Parade of Struggle conveys Indonesian women's pain and sorrow on IWD
Kabar Buruh - March 8, 2016
The Indonesian Women's Parade of Struggle is a front made up of women from the Indonesian Labour Union Confederation (KPBI), the Independent Workers Solidarity Movement (GSBM), the Indonesian Unionists Solidarity Forum (FSUI), the North Jakarta 1992 All Indonesia Trade Union (SPSI 92 Jakarta Utara), the North Jakarta National Trade Union (SPN Jakarta Utara), Free Women (Perempuan Mahardhika), the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta), the Women's Legal Aid Foundation (LBH APIK), the Foundation for Psychological Recovery and Psychosocial Empowerment (Yayasan Pulih), the Service Provider Forum (FPL), the Indonesian Disabled Women's Association (HWDI), the Populist Student Front (FMK), the Indonesian Student Union (SMI), United Indonesian Struggle (PPI), the People's Politics (Politik Rakyat), the National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy (JALA PRT), the Jakarta Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI Jakarta) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KONTRAS).
In 1910 an international conference in Copenhagen organised by socialist groups agreed to use the momentum of International Women's Day on March 8 as a form of respect for the struggle for women's human rights.
The Indonesian Women's Parade of Struggle took to the streets this year in an action joined by around 500 people, the majority of which were women. At 10am they gathered a the the Horse Statue in front of the Indosat building (the National Monument entrance) in Central Jakarta then moved off to the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry (KPPA) and finally to the nearby State Palace. There they rang 100 gongs in front of the State Palace as a symbol of anger over the problems faced by women in Indonesia, which are becoming more urgent year by year.
Nawaduka [literally meaning Nine Sorrows] represents the political position of Indonesian women who have yet to see any reforms under the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla as outlined in their nine point priority program Nawacita.
Up until now, coinciding with 106 years of the international women's movement, the Widodo administration has failed to keep its pledge in accordance with Nawacita and on the contrary has deepened the Nawaduka of Indonesian women. Because up until now the state has yet to treat women with respect: there is no menstrual leave, maternity leave or places to breast feed at work in accordance with the law. There are still low wages and employment insecurity for domestic and migrant workers.
Women are also venerable to sexual harassment and violence, particularly in virginity test for female applicants to the Indonesian military and national police. Women also often face discrimination and difficulties in accessing public services.
"The sorrow of poverty and free market policies mean that women are the first casualties when there are mass dismissals. Women also do not have access to healthcare services and this contributes to increasing levels of maternal mortality rates because of problems accessing the BPJS [Social Security Management Agency]", said Mutiara Ika from Free Women. (jum)
[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Parade Juang Perempuan Indonesia Sampaikan Nawaduka Perempuan Indonesia.]
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