Women's Empowerment Minister Meuthia Farida Hatta-Swasono said Thursday she will do her best to combat all forms of abuse against women, from domestic violence to gender discrimination to sex trafficking.
| There go all the jobs in Soddy Arabia... |
She said her task would not be easy because abuse of women has become entrenched in Indonesian society. "We now see how woman are harassed, not only the in the lower classes, but also in the upper classes. From the upper to the lower levels, women are now seen as second class citizens or are despised," she was quoted as saying by detikcom online news portal. The minister, who lectures in anthropology at the University of Indonesia, said public attitudes must be changed so that women will be accorded greater respect. "It's often said that women are not powerful, but the fact is that women are full of power, strength and perseverance that men have lost. There's much evidence to show that women are superior to men in overcoming problems," she said.
Hatta-Swasono was speaking after a handover ceremony with former women's empowerment minister Sri Redjeki Sumardjoto at the ministry compound in Central Jakarta. After the ministry's staff sang a song of welcome, Sumardjoto presented her successor with details of the ministry's 14 ongoing programs to improve the rights of Indonesian women. The programs include efforts to amend legislation deemed discriminatory against women, including laws on citizenship, marriage, immigration and health. Other programs include proposals for maternity leave for students, social security for female workers in the informal sector and financial assistance for women to establish small businesses. The programs also cover gender problems in Islam, reform of traditional laws and efforts to combat sex trafficking, pornography and child labor. |