Ninin Damayanti, Jakarta – The Committee to Eliminate Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) urged Indonesia to regulate that the female circumcision ban be included in a state decree.

According to Meutia Hatta, State Minister for Women's Empowerment, some cultures in Indonesia in fact still allow the practice of female circumcision. The hereditary habit, she said, is very detrimental for women as the vital organ is harmed.

"This is despite there is no beneficial reason medically," she said during a press conference in her office yesterday (26/9).

She explained the result of the 39th Session of the Committee in New York early August.

In addition to discussing Indonesia's periodic report, CEDAW discussed the periodic reports of Belize, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Singapore, Jordan, Estonia, Brazil, Liechtenstein, Kenya, South Korea, and Norway

According to Meutia, CEDAW also asked that the female circumcision practice no longer receive a medical practice license.

The Health Department has actually issued a circulating letter that prohibits female circumcision medically. "But there are in fact several cultures which permit this," said Meutia.

In addition to female circumcision, the fate of housemaids is one of the issues of CEDAW's concerns. This is because Indonesia's housemaids are not yet protected under the Manpower Decree.

CEDAW, according to Meutia, also listed 29 state decrees that are gender-biased or not yet taking the side of women. These include the Marriage, Citizenship, Manpower and General Election state decrees.

According to her, CEDAW is also concerned over bylaws that are discriminative against women.