Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – Certain circles in Aceh have remained pessimistic that female politicians contending in the legislative election have the capacity to improve the life of women in the post-conflict era.

The pessimism stems from what is perceived to be female candidates lack of political experience and competence coupled with the dominant role of men in politics.

Besides the absence of political will to comply with the legally required quota for women on candidacy lists, the verdict of the Constitutional Court ruling on the majority vote system has dashed the hopes of women seeking to gain 30 percent of seats at the provincial and regency level for the coming five years.

"The Court's verdict has forced female legislative candidates to compete in an unbalanced competition with males in the upcoming legislative polls and this is apparently a move to maintain the trend pressing down women's rights in the past decade," Azriana, a commissioner of the National Commission for the Protection of Women (Komnas Perempuan) said here recently.

Of more than 10,000 legislative candidates contesting for seats in provincial and regional legislatures, only 345 are female. They have not been given a chance to gain the political experience and competence of male politicians, who have dominated the political arena since the Dutch colonial era and have well established networks from the previous two general elections.

"For the next five years, women legislative candidates should be given priority to have official seats at the legislature after they have been absent in politics for decades. Without any priorities, they are facing difficulties in winning seats in their constituencies," Asriana, one female legislative candidate, said.

Raihan Diani, a legislative candidate of the Acehnese People's Party (PRA), called on her fellow candidates to work harder to win the legislative election so that the legislatures would have more women councilors to fight for policies that benefit women.

"All sides should bear in mind that women and their children were the most vulnerable during bloody conflicts of the past and afterwards, councilors have forgotten these vulnerable people in policy making," she said.

Liza Fitri, a legislative candidate of the SIRA Party, concurred, saying that after the conflict women and children have become victims of discriminatory policies in numerous sectors.

"Numerous major problems the women and children are facing are accommodated in the qanons (bylaws)," she said, citing the health qanun, which ignores women's reproductive rights and the need for healthcare for pregnant women and infants.

She also said women have never been involved in meetings when the local government and legislature deliberate bills and draft qanuns dealing with the implementation of special autonomy in the province.

Of the six local parties, only two have met the 30 percent quota for women legislative candidates and only four of 69 councilors of the provincial legislature are women.