Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has urged President Prabowo Subianto to exercise greater caution in his public statements and conduct, warning that remarks about women and girls could reinforce gender stereotypes and confine them to their personal lives.
Komnas Perempuan Deputy Chair Dahlia Madanih said the president should pay closer attention to gender equality when communicating in public.
"Komnas Perempuan asks the President to give special attention to gender equality issues and to be more careful in his conduct and statements in public spaces so as not to reinforce stereotypes that place women in an inferior position and confine them to personal matters, such as dating and marital relationships," Dahlia said in Jakarta on Thursday.
Her remarks came in response to comments made by Prabowo during the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and a joint session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Representatives Council (DPD), in which he linked a 10-year-old girl identified by the initial C to the issue of dating.
"This has the potential to shift public attention from her achievements to her personal life, and therefore needs to be a concern in the public communication of state officials," Dahlia said.
Focus on girls' rights and potential
Dahlia said the state should promote healthy and equal relationships while ensuring that women and girls have safe environments in which to grow and make decisions about their lives.
She said government attention toward girls should instead focus on fulfilling their rights and developing their potential, including access to education, safety, healthcare, talent development, participation and opportunities to achieve in various fields.
"Protection for girls should not be built through restrictions rooted in gender stereotypes, but through education, parenting and a social environment that supports their development while respecting their dignity and rights," Dahlia said.
Public remarks carry wider impact
Komnas Perempuan also stressed that statements made at official events in front of a public audience carry broader implications than remarks made as personal jokes or in private interactions.
Such statements, the commission said, can influence how society views and treats girls.
C, a 10-year-old student at a Sekolah Rakyat, was previously invited to attend the annual MPR session and the joint DPR-DPD session as an accomplished child. She had won a district-level karate championship despite facing difficult family circumstances.
Komnas Perempuan said public recognition of children should emphasize their achievements and rights rather than their personal relationships or other matters that may reinforce gender stereotypes.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2117969/prabowo-urged-to-avoid-gender-stereotypes-in-public-statement