Women and Human Rights Issue in Sumba

Program on Human Rights and Gender Equality

Issue about human rights and gender equity are interesting topic both at international and national level, covering physical, sexual, or psychological and economic violence. East Nusa Tenggara province is in the 5th rank of 34 provinces in Indonesia having sexual violence cases against women and children in 2015. Sumba, as an area known for its cultural structure, the subordination among female still happens until now. Women are subordinated because they are considered weak so they should stay domestically, not to be involved in decision making. Thus, they are violence vulnerable.

Training on Human Rights and Gender Equity with theme "Women and Human Rights Problems in Sumba" initiated by Stube-HEMAT Sumba is an effort to explore such problem. It was held on February 23-25, 2018 at GKS Okanggapi, branch of GKS Umamapu, Londalima, Kanatang, East Sumba and attended by thirty students from STT GKS Lewa, STT Terpadu, Unkriswina Sumba, Ana Humba Community and Nursing Academy.

Several speakers were invited to facilitate the training, such as Y. Djami Yiwa, a culture practitioner, discussing human rights and gender equity based on Sumba culture. The culture itself is actually the outcome of deliberation of the ancestors to manage people’s life. There are some rules that still exist, such as social strata of society, deliberations of ancestors, division of customary duties and local laws, and Sumbanese’s way of life. Gender equity in Sumba appears during religious ceremonies, shown in task division for male to perform ceremonies while women prepare tools and materials, also in marriage ceremonies, farming and animal husbandry.

Ane Djara from Child Protection Agency (LPA) explained the implementation of Child and Women Protection Act in East Sumba. She said that women and children are assets of nation that must be protected from all forms of violence, so the perpetrators of violence will be punished. All elements of society, including young people and students were expected to be the front guard to fight for women and children’s rights.

Wanja Wairundi, head of Women's Empowerment and Family Planning office in East Sumba revealed cases that showed the victims of sexual assault cases were minors. The local government tries to fight violence against women and children through, 1) community socialization to prevent violence actions against women and children, as well as penalties for perpetrators, 2) assistance or rehabilitation of victims to restore mental trauma. He hoped for a closer cooperation with young people and students to report to the authorities if they find such cases in community.

The legal briefing was presented by Bripka Ida P.T. Yarmika, S.H, unit head of PPA of Criminal Investigation Unit in East Sumba Police. He described violation on women's rights and the treatment. Everyone is entitled to his or her fundamental rights without distinction of race and sex. This was affirmed by United Nations declaration on human rights in 1948 that women have rights in politics, citizenship, education and teaching, profession and employment, health and law. In the cases of rape victims, prostitutes in prostitution, abortion, pornography and trafficking of women, they are handled normatively through legal side and another approach is through local wisdom or it is done outside of court process based on win-win solution.

Jufri Adipapa, one of Stube-HEMAT Sumba team said, "Students as intellectual actors become information funnel for people to maintain security and comfort of community together. Living without discrimination, upholding human rights especially women and children rights. Furthermore, all participants should join follow-up plan (RTL) to commemorate International Women's Day on March 3, 2018."

The struggle for women and children rights is a long journey, and it starts from us and from now on. (Adriana Pindi Moki).