Pushing Women Rights Ahead

June 15, 2006 - (Jakarta Post) In response to the lack of involvement of women in the peace and integration process in Aceh, several women's rights activists have formed the Aceh Women's League to accommodate the political aspirations of women in the area.
Apart from activists, the league includes members of Inong Balee, the former Free Aceh Movement (GAM)'s women's wing, and female victims of the long-running conflict.

Shadia Marhaban, an Inong Balee representative, said one of the goals of the league was to encourage women to get involved in politics. Although it is a politically motivated organization, the league is not planning to become a local political party in Aceh.
"So far, none of the former members of Inong Balee or women who were victims of the conflict have thought about their fate," said Shadia, the wife of U.S. journalist William Nessen.

She said the league was also intended to help build Aceh women's capacity to the utmost as well as to restore their dignity to what it was before the conflict. More the 15,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the low-level insurgency that lasted for than three decades.
Peace returned to the province following the signing of a peace deal between the government and GAM in Helsinki in August last year.
Under the plan, the league will provide training on practical and political skills to gradually develop the economic empowerment the women will need to be politically active.

The league will also set up its network in every regency and city in Aceh, up to the district level, and will register the organization with the authorities to gain legal recognition. A staff member of the Aceh Monitoring Mission, Leena Avonis, found the league very supportive of the peace process and reintegration program in Aceh. But "Aceh women are still less involved in politics," said Avonis.

A number of female former GAM members hope the league will be able to accommodate their aspirations, which they say have thus far been neglected. A former Inong Balee member from Aceh Besar regency, Rauzah, said she hoped the league could give them more room, especially to educate them on politics.

"We wish to improve our political knowledge and hope that we can learn more with the presence of the league throughout the province, said Rauzah. Another former Inong Balee member, Rahmi, hoped the league would pay more attention to the fate of women, especially former GAM members.

"We are now more aware of politics because of the league. We, especially former Inong Balee members, totally support the league because no one has paid any attention to us so far," said Rahmi. Women's representation in politics in Asian countries, including Indonesia, is still low. In most Asian countries, the number of women in government and parliament is still less than the 30 percent quota suggested 10 years ago at a UN conference in Beijing.

Political leaders are mostly men, while female candidates are only selected if they have a close connection to the men in power and are usually found in less strategic positions, such as the treasury or as deputies on social welfare issues.

From: http://www.unpo.org/news_detail.php?arg=05&par=4706