The Arduous Road Toward Ending Sexual Violence

Monday, April 26, 2021

THE Sexual Violence Eradication Bill returned to the national legislation limelight on 23 March. This is the fruit of the labor of women’s rights activists who have been tireless in realizing legislation to protect women from sexual violence. But the struggle is far from over. Since it was first proposed by the National Commission on Violence against Women in 2012, the draft regulation has been in limbo. After entering the national legislation program in 2016, the bill remained unpassed. Women’s rights activists have gone through a winding road to convince the House of Representatives and the government so that the draft regulation can be immediately discussed and passed.

An activist of Indonesian National Students’ Movement (GMNI) Banten takes part in a rally to commemorate Anti-Violence against Women Day (HAKTP) at the Ciceri roundabout in Serang, Banten, last December. They call on the government to be more active in protecting women from all forms of violence and to take stricter actions against perpetrators. Antara/Asep Fathulrahman . tempo : 171410237140.

LUSI Peilouw was frustrated when she heard the news that the Sexual Violence Eradication Bill had again bounced off the priority national legislation program (prolegnas) of the House of Representatives (DPR) in July 2020. The Director of the INAATA Mutiara Maluku Foundation, which focuses on fulfilling the rights of women and children, could not fathom why the House would scrap the draft regulation due to the title and trouble defining

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