Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Hundreds of woman activists in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta from the Indonesian Women’s Movement (Gerpari) commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) with an action rejecting polygamy, unregistered marriages, contract marriages and underage marriages.

The action, which was joined by various different women’s groups and organisation was held in the Malioboro area of Yogyakarta on Tuesday March 8 and ended at the central post office intersection.

During the action they called on Indonesian women to become active, organised and united. The also rejected the culture of patriarchy and neoliberalism, which they said harms women.

In a speech at the gates of the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), action coordinator Arsih Suharsih said that they rejected neoliberalism because it marginalises the position of women. An example of this is working women, who are not provided with pregnancy leave, menstrual leave or maternity leave.

“Women workers’ wages are extremely low and they become objects to be milked by companies and many women workers who are sick do not receive healthcare allowances”, she said.

According to Arsih, the oppression of women is worsened by a fertile culture of patriarchy in society. Because of this, they said they would continue to fight for gender equality and reasonable wages for women.

“We also demand that legislation and bylaws which discriminate against women such as the anti-pornography and porno action law be revoked”, she said. (bgs/fay)

Source: Sambut Hari Perempuan Internasional, Perempuan Yogya Tolak Poligami – detikNews. Selasa, 08/03/2011

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski.]