Jakarta, InfoPublik - The head of the Migrant Care Center for Migration Studies, Anis Hidayah, hopes that the government continues to strengthen women's rights. Moreover, Indonesia currently holds chairmanship in the 2022 G20 Presidency.

"This is the moment. The G20 presidency that takes place in Indonesia must become history for the advancement of women's rights," she said Tuesday (3/8).

In particular, Anis said the rights of women migrant workers must be a global concern because women migrant workers are among the vulnerable.

“Women migrant workers who go abroad are vulnerable to gender-based violence from the time they leave for work, during work, and when they return from work. Their rights must be the world's concern," she said.

Anis said that the state has the authority and plays a role in reducing these vulnerabilities. For example, with the realization of gender-just migration governance.

"It is necessary to understand and agree with the countries in the world, especially the countries that are members of the G20, to make it happen," she said.

The struggle to strengthen women's rights in the country, she said, still has to be done. Therefore, she hopes the government ratifies the Crime of Sexual Violence Bill. According to her, the Bill is crucial for women to protect themselves from sexual violence.

"It must be voiced and become a common agreement throughout the country as women also have the same right to be free from discrimination,” she stressed.

The National Survey of Women's Life Experiences (SNPHPN) 2021 noted that as many as one in four women aged 15 to 64 years experienced physical and or sexual violence by a partner or non-partner.

In addition, there are also four out of 10 girls aged 13-17 years who have experienced one or more types of violence during their lifetime.

Anis also hopes that the number can be reduced every year. The role of the government in fighting for women's rights is also significant to make it happen. "The ratification of the TPKS Bill is determining to strengthen the position of women," she concluded.

Previously, the Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Bintang Puspayoga, stated that while waiting for the TPKS Bill to be passed, victims could be protected by several legal umbrellas, including the Decree of the Minister of Manpower on the prevention and protection of sexual violence in the workplace.

Bintang hopes that the Minister of Manpower's decision can be used as a reference for stakeholders in realizing one of the President's directives as a development priority for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection 2020-2024, namely reducing violence against women and children.

The Decree of the Minister of Manpower is to strengthen the implementation of the Circular Letter of the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Number SE.03/MEN/IV/2011 concerning guidelines for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

Based on data from the Online Information System for the Protection of Women and Children (SIMFONI PPA), 877 cases of violence occurred in the workplace, with 921 adult female victims in 2017-2021 (data based on input year, data withdrawn January 17, 2022).

The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry also issued several regulations related to sexual violence prevention and handling in the workplace. They are the PPPA Ministerial Regulation No. 5 of 2015 concerning gender-responsive work facilities provision, caring for children in the workplace, and the PPPA Ministerial Regulation No. 1 of 2020 concerning the female workers' protection house provision (RP3) in the workplace.

Photo: Activists from the People's Association for the Liberation of Women demonstrate in front of Gedung Sate, Bandung, West Java, Tuesday (8/3/2022). The action is to demand the immediate ratification of the Bill on the Crime of Sexual Violence, living wages for female workers, reproductive health rights, and access for female workers on the momentum of International Women's Day. BETWEEN PHOTOS/Novrian Arbi/aww.

Author: Taofiq Rauf

Editor: Untung S

Translator: Wilda Stiana