Jakarta – The Women’s Anti-Violence Alliance Movement (Gerak Perempuan) opposes the removal of the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS) from the 2020 Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).
Gerak Perempuan believes that House of Representatives (DPR) is using the corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic as a pretext to postpone the RUU PKS. Yet they say that the facts in Indonesia show sufficient evidence and data about the need for this law.
“The DPR shouldn’t use the pandemic as a pretext to nullify data which proves the urgency of the RUU PKS for all Indonesian citizens”, the group said in a press release received by CNN Indonesia on Monday July 6.
The Alliance, which is made up of many different groups, is demanding that the DPR immediately revoke the decision to remove the RUU PKS from the 2020 Priority Prolegnas and to immediately ratify the draft law.
“[We demand that] the DPR immediately revoke the decision to remove the RUU on the Elimination of Sexual Violence from the 2020 Priority Prolegnas and deliberate and enact it into law”, said the Alliance.
Gerak Perempuan is also calling on all elements of society to stand in solidarity with the movement to demand the ratification of the RUU PKS by holding actions every Tuesday in front of the DPR or their Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) between 3-4.30 pm until the RUU PKS become law.
On Thursday June 30 the DPR’s Commission VIII withdrew the RUU PKS from the 2020 Priority Prolegnas on the grounds of limited time.
Commission VIII Deputy Chairperson from the Islamic based National Awakening Party (PKB) proposed the withdrawal of the RUU PKS saying that there was not sufficient time for Commission VIII to finish deliberating it this year.
Not long after this, the government and the DPR’s Legislative Body (Baleg) agreed to withdraw the RUU PKS during a 2020 Priority Prolegnas meeting on Thursday July 2. (mln/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Gerakan Perempuan Tuntut DPR Kembalikan RUU PKS ke Prolegnas”.]
