JAKARTA: Indonesia's National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) states that gender inequality remains a major issue in the policies of Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Vice-President Ma'ruf Amin in the first year of their administration.
The Jakarta Post reported that the commission has urged Joko and Ma'ruf to develop policies that boost equality and justice with regard to women's leadership, as well as providing basic services that take into account the vulnerability of women who face discrimination.
The government was also urged to strengthen cooperation between ministries, agencies and the public by supporting gender mainstreaming policies to overcome gender inequality, often exacerbated and justified by a misogynist interpretation of religion.
Komnas Perempuan commissioner Andy Yentriyani, in shedding light on the situation, highlighted the extensive number of "all-male panels" at the ministry level.
She pointed out several ministerial events in which only men were assigned as speakers.
The lack of policies on gender equality was also reflected in the selection of independent institutions, in which only a few women were appointed as committee members by the president.
Komnas Perempuan said the government also had a sluggish response in handling the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on women in terms of reproductive health services, pregnancy, childbirth and family planning.
"Our study on family dynamics during the pandemic shows that the burden on women is greater than that of men during the crisis," Andy said in a statement.
Komnas Perempuan commissioner Alimatul Qibtiyah said the first year of Joko's second and final term had neglected women's issues, such as the settlement of past human rights abuses that saw women as the victims.
"A similar situation was also faced by female victims of religious intolerance, which according to our data, has impacted more community groups in 2020."