Women Congress
LoGA
Micro Credits
Balai Inong
Research
           

The Second All-Acehnese Women's Congress (Duek Pakat Inong Aceh II or DPIA II)

Concerns have been raised in relevance to women's limited involvement in socio-political, cultural and religious decision-making activities. Moreover, this ultimately means that women lack opportunities and channels to be utilized by decision makers to identify issues women see as priorities in the recovery and reconstruction phase.

In response to this issue, Acehnese women congregated and held an All Acehnese Women Congress ( Duek Pakat Inong Aceh I or DPIA I) in February 2000. Some 468 women from all over Aceh and beyond participated in the congress, and spelled out a total of 22 recommendations covering issues on economy, politics, Islamic Shari'a Law, and peace. Moreover, the recommendation asks for a 30 percent quota of women participation in all political decision making and institutions. The Acehnese women also demanded the government to stop the violence and human rights abuses directed towards women, and demanded for the abusers to be put to trial. The participating women also demanded for fair and proportional distribution of revenues from Aceh natural resources, fair and wider access for women to get business capital and economy access in general. In addition, they urged for a ceasure of the vicious circles of hatred and revenge among the society, and resort for a non- violent conflict resolution in Aceh. Lastly, the congress recommend that the next all Acehnese women congress should be held in 2005.

Overview
The second All-Acehnese Women's Congress ( Duek Pakat Inong Aceh II or DPIA II ), held during 16 -19 of June, 2005 , was attended and inspired by an active participation of more than 400 women from all walks of life - Government representatives, civil servants, parliamentarians, farmers, fisherwomen, laborers, entrepreneurs , religious leaders, students, teachers, academics, ethnic minority groups, together with women from the Acehnese diaspora.

Held in the wake of the tsunami, the Congress provided a platform from which Acehnese women have the opportunity to identify their practical needs and strategic interests with an emphasis on the importance of women's involvement in the decision-making in the recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction process of Aceh .

The results were an alternative blueprint for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh – an Aceh in which women's representation and participation is central to the process of rebuilding.

The Congress focused on six conceptual themes:

• Women and Shari'a Law
• Women and Peace
• Women in Politics
• Women and Economic Empowerment
• Women in Education and Health
• Internally Displaced Women and Children

Conceptual themes and raised concerns

Women and Shari'a Law

Women and men under Shari'a law (Quran and Sunnah) are recognized as having equal rights. However, it was highlighted that despite of this recognition, women continue to be excluded from traditionally male-dominated spaces in society, such as religious, economic and political spheres. The implementation of the Shari'a Law in Aceh has also raised serious debate among Congress participants, in particular that the wearing of the jilbab is being used as a symbol of a good and pious ( bertakwa ) Muslim. Furthermore, a desire for women's participation in the drafting and use of Qanun(s) related to the implementation of Shari'a was also expressed. Lastly, a point was made on how women have been blamed (and their sins) for the tsunami in Aceh.

Women and Peace

In reference, to the vital relationship between women, law and human rights in the context of reconstruction, it was stressed that the process of reconstruction and rebuilding cannot be divorced from the historical context of Aceh.

Key issues that emerged from this discussion are:

• The process of rehabilitation and reconstruction has the potential to set the stage for social development as well as economic recovery.
  
• The process of rehabilitation and reconstruction is inseparable from the history of conflict in Aceh.

Women in Politics

Women's presence and influence in political decision making are critical to the rebuilding of Aceh. The low representation and participation of women in politics was viewed in the broader context of unequal access to resources: education, technology, as well as to opportunities. It has been highlighted that without adequate support, women are unprepared for public life.

Whilst the Government of Indonesia has committed itself to addressing the gender imbalance in politics, Aceh is yet to reach the 30% quota of female candidates. The low number of women in Aceh's local Government is reflective of the fact that women do not have equal access to political spaces. Evidence of low numbers of women in politics includes the fact that only five women were part of designing the “blue print” for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh in the government task force.

Women and the Economy

Livelihoods recovery and economic empowerment are at the core of women's post-tsunami needs. Three challenges highlighted throughout the Congress included:

1. The recovery of assets;
2. The distribution of aid and support to community groups; and
3. Land transfers and ownership rights.

The tsunami hit women extremely hard, and many of them are now widows who have to be sole providers and caregivers which is particularly difficult when women have unequal access to land and capital. Reports of women facing discrimination in exerting their legal rights, specifically inheritance and in accessing loans has further exacerbated women's suffering in the aftermath of the tsunami. This underscores how reconstruction planning and implementation have to provide both space and resources that take into account women's needs and interests, and establish mechanisms for women's representation and participation in decision-making processes.

Women in Education and Health

In Indonesia , services in the education and health sectors have declined in the last years as result of poor funding and investment. In post-conflict and post-tsunami Aceh, these sectors have been further devastated through huge losses in human capital and infrastructures. Many women voiced their grievances regarding the lack of professional development for teachers, limited access to information on educational standards, the poor state of school facilities and low wages. This was raised as a critical concern as high percentages of women are employed as teachers, and most of whom carry the burden of dual roles in the private and public spheres. In addition to that, many women in IDP (internally displaced person) camps have had limited access to general health services and reproductive health care. Further more , accounts of women and children in IDPs camps suffering poor diets and malnutrition have been reported. Lastly, the limited availability of culturally psycho-social interventions has not been adequately addressed.

Women and Children in IDPs Camps

Women and children in IDP camps have felt the brunt of the tsunami. Everyday, women IDPs are struggling with numbers of issues that undermine their health, safety, and dignity. According to participants, although food and personal hygiene needs have been fulfilled, women IDPs still feel unsafe in barracks. Water shortages, poor lighting, and gender- insensitive latrine design have caused safety concerns among women in barracks and temporary shelters.

Key recommendations in the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Aceh:

Recognizing that the hardest and the costliest consequences have emerged from failing to identify and incorporate women's needs in medium and long-term reconstruction plans, the Congress made the following recommendations:

Women and Shari'a Law

• Facilitate dialogue between Ulamas (religious leaders and religious scholars ) and the community on the issue of women and Islam.
  
• Involve women in drafting Qanuns with specific regards to Shari'a Law .
  
• Campaign and advocate for the membership of women Ulamas in the Ulama Consultative Council ( Dewan Permusyawaratan Ulama, DPU ) at provincial and district levels .
  
• Support the drafting of Qanun on the protection of women's rights and violence against women.
  
• Draft a specific Fatwa (Islamic jurisprudence) or Qanun on the protection of land ownership and property rights for women and girls with particular attention to post-tsunami reconstruction.
  
• Develop a regulation that ensures women's rights with specific regards to the division of co-owned property, valuables, and insurance.
  
• Support the drafting of a regulation on the waiting time for women to re-marry with the reference to the tsunami and women's interests and concerns.
  
• Call for the implementation of laws on rape and violence against women and children.
  
• Rebuild community spaces for women including: Women's Houses ( Balai Inong )

Women and Peace (Legal, Human Rights, and Policy Perspective)

• Ensure active participation of women in the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction in Aceh, including planning, implementation and monitoring.
  
• Ensure the participation of women in the Aceh peace process through a non-violent and democratic approach.
  
• Urge the Government to facilitate trainings for women in conflict resolution and mediation.
  
• Urge the Government to revise laws and Qanun that might limit women's engagement, with specific reference to:
  • Law No . 1/1974 on Marriage
  • Law No. 13/2003 on Labor and Worker Protection
  • Law No. 23/2003 on National General Elections
  • Law No. 32/2004 on Direct Election
  • Qanun on Direct Elections in Aceh
    
• Urge the Executive and Legislative branches of the Government to allocate 5% of both provincial and district annual budgets for activities dedicated to women's empowerment.
  
• Urge the Government to control and take strict action against mass media actors (print and electronic) who disseminate news and information that discriminate against and show violence against women and girls.
  
• Support the drafting of a law on protection of women victims of violence, their families, witnesses, as well as for the protection of women's advocates.

Women in Politics

• Urge the Government and Parliament to implement the Election Law No. 12/2003, specifically Article 65, Points 1 and 2:
  • Article 65 Point 1 recommendation : “Every political party competing for the general elections must ensure that at least 30% of its legislative nominees are women“
  • Article 65 Point 2 recommendation : “If a political party fails to nominate at least 30% women, then the party's application to participate in the general elections should be rejected ”.
    
• Urge all parties to create a gender-responsive environment in which women have equal access and opportunity for political participation.
  
• Urge the Government, local and international agencies participating in the rebuilding of Aceh and Nias to:
  • Develop and implement a gender-specific response strategy to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh.
  • Develop a strategy to promote women's participation at different levels and across all sectors in the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh.
  • Allocate funding proportionally in line with women's interests and concerns across sectors.
    
• Urge the Government to provide opportunities for women to be appointed in decision-making positions.
  
• Propose to the 2009 National Election Committee to use a full-district system in the national general elections.
  
• Urge the Government to revise Law No.18/2001 on Autonomy for the Province of Aceh in order to more effectively accommodates women's needs and concerns .

Women in the Economy and Labor Force

• Establish women-focused financial institutions (e.g. Baitul Qiradh ) to channel capital disbursement for livelihood and economic recovery activities.
  
• Build and develop centers for displaying and marketing the work and products created by women.
  
• Support and draft a Qanun for the protection of Acehnese women laborers both domestically and abroad.
  

Women in Education and Health

• Provide women friendly health care services in response to women's needs.
  
• Seek support for the restoration of health care infrastructure and human resources in remote areas which were destroyed during the tsunami.
  
• Facilitate community-based, psycho-social interventions for women.

Women and Children in IDP Camps

• Advocate with the Government to provide economic empowerment programs for women living in IDP camps (e.g. access to work, capital, and marketing).
  
• Urge the Government to provide judicial protection for women and children living in IDP camps.
  
• Urge the Government to provide habitable housing and settlements for women and children. These should include women-friendly toilets, sanitation, permanent and affordable houses, and clean water supply (otherwise, provide water filtering units to every tsunami-affected village).
  
• Urge the Government to provide access to health care services for women and children, specifically including nutrition and reproductive health in IDP camps.
  
• Urge the Government to provide education for women and children including formal, non-formal, alternative, and vocational education in IDP camps.
  
• Urge the Government to provide access to and dissemination of relevant information for women and children in IDP camps.
  
• Urge the Government to continue the provision of aid to the victims of conflict and IDPs, particularly those in the village of Lhok Bangkuan , South Aceh .