We should strive to increase women's participation in election organisers to ensure gender equality and to improve the quality of our election to be compatible with inclusive and democratic principlesDepok, West Java (ANTARA) - Women's participation in electoral organisers should increase to ensure gender equality and better election conduct, Aditya Permana , Director of the Center for Political Studies (Puskapol) of the University of Indonesia (UI), stated.
"We should strive to increase women's participation in election organisers to ensure gender equality and to improve the quality of our election to be compatible with inclusive and democratic principles," Permana noted on Saturday.
Independent, principled, and impartial electoral organisers are essential to ensuring fair conduct during the 2024 general elections and protecting Indonesia's democracy, he affirmed.
Related news: Organizers, candidates, voters essential to ensure poll integrity
Permana noted that women's participation in the selection process for the General Elections Commission (KPU) and General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) commissioners demonstrated an increasing trend despite a decline in the number of total applicants in general.
Despite the increase, he lamented the persistent low representation of women in electoral organisers at multiple administration levels in spite of the minimum 30-percent requirement for women’s representation.
He pointed out that the current composition of KPU commissioners only comprised one woman from seven total KPU commissioner members and the same for the five-member Bawaslu commissioner group.
Permana highlighted several factors -- limited information on the selection process, exclusive political nature, and cultural restrictions -- that hindered women's participation in electoral committees.
Related news: KPU will consider all inputs on simplifying ballot papers
"If we aim to hold the 2024 election as an inclusive election for all groups, then a gender-inclusive electoral committee should be first ensured," he stated.
He suggested a gender-conscious selection committee be formed to ensure women's representation till the final confirmation stage of the selected committee members.
"We expect members of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) to facilitate more women's representation, and we hope the DPR RI-appointed electoral commissioners would comprise more women than the previous appointment," Permana noted.
Currently, the selection process for KPU and Bawaslu commissioners serving for the 2022-2027 period would commence after the finalisation of the selection team. The entire selection process will be conducted by the DPR RI.
Related news: E-voting system to likely be implemented for 2024 elections: Expert
Related news: Air Force plane brings dozens of Indonesians home from Afghanistan
Translator: Feru Lantara, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
