Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Starting from feeling uncomfortable being catcalled on the street, being banned from higher education because they are deemed not to need higher education, being victims of female circumcision to being married off at an early age, women’s rights all over the world are still being threatened.

Actually, what are the rights of women? Here’s the explanation.

What are Women’s Rights?

Ideally, women have equal rights and opportunities with other genders.

If it’s all the same, why is there a need for a special struggle for women’s rights?

Many violations of rights and inequality of opportunities are experienced by women or are detrimental to many women, such as domestic violence, sexual violence, lower wages, and lack of access to adequate education and health services.

For hundreds of years, the women’s rights movement has campaigned to eradicate rules, attitudes, stigma and traditions that are not in favor of women.

The women’s movement has developed in the digital era, such as the global #MeToo campaign highlighting gender-based violence, including sexual violence, and also the #Enactment of the Draft Bill on the Elimination of Sexual Violence which calls for rules to eliminate sexual violence in Indonesia.

Why is it important for women’s rights to be protected?
Woman = human. Women’s rights are human rights!

Human rights apply universally to all people. This means that everyone has the right to protection of their human rights and freedoms. The fulfillment of each of our rights must also be equal for all people, and free from discrimination.

Gender Based Violence

Gender based violence is an act of violence committed on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation. Gender-based violence includes any dangerous behavior that results in physical, sexual or mental suffering, threats to commit an act of harm, coercion and or other behavior that limits a person’s freedom.

According to the Pulih Foundation, BEC is caused by gender inequality and abuse of authority due to power imbalances from unequal gender constructions. The gender of perpetrators and survivors influences the motivations for violence and how society responds to or condemns the violence.

Anyone can become a victim of BEC, including men and sexual minority groups. However, in the context of FPIC, both physically and sexually, women and the LGBTI group were the most victims. Physically, BECs can result in injury or even loss of life. In addition, KBG actors can also cause sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, or miscarriages.

From a survivor’s psychological perspective, traumatic events can result in depression, fear, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-harm or suicidal thoughts. In addition, survivors often have to bear social and economic consequences, with stigma and rejection from their families or communities. In various communities, BEC survivors are also forced to marry the perpetrators.

The impact of violence often lasts a long time on victims, both physically, psychologically and socioeconomically. The consequences and prevalence of GBV show that GBV is not only a violation of human rights, but also a public health problem.

The state is responsible for protecting women from gender-based violence – even domestic violence in private.

Sexual Violence

Sexual violence is one type of gender-based violence. Sexual violence is an assault on someone’s sexuality without that person’s consent. Sexual violence creates a feeling of discomfort by positioning the victim as an object, not a human being with a will over their own body, mind and actions.

There are two important aspects of sexual violence: first, the coercion aspect and the lack of consent from the victim. Second, if the victim is not/has not been able to give consent, for example sexual violence against children or individuals with disabilities.

Perpetrators of sexual violence are not limited to gender and relationship with the victim. This means that men and women can commit this dangerous act to anyone, including their wife or husband, girlfriend, parents, siblings, friends, close relatives, to strangers. Sexual violence can happen anywhere, including the home, workplace, school or campus. If you want to get more complete information, please click on the website.