Jakarta (ANTARA) - Public literacy on the anti-sexual violence bill (RUU PKS) is still low, Commissioner of the National Commission on Anti-Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan), Bahrul Fuad, has said.

"Low literacy means that people do not really understand what the RUU PKS is," he said in a seminar entitled 'What Can We Do While Waiting for the RUU PKS to be ratified?' held online on the Zoom platform on Friday.

According to Fuad, many people do not know and have never heard of the issues related to the RUU PKS. This is caused by the lack of publicization of the RUU PKS in the public media, such as television, radio, or public discussions, he said.

If people, who have never heard of the RUU PKS, once hear inaccurate information or hoaxes related to the bill, there is a possibility that they will more easily believe the wrong information, he argued.

He added that examples of false information related to the RUU PKS are claims that the bill legalizes adultery and same-sex relationships. There is even a hoax saying that the RUU PKS is a threat for husbands, he said.

Related news: Open trials called problem in resolving gender-based violence: SAFEnet

“This is a false understanding. So many people are tricked by fake news," he observed.

To overcome these problems, Fuad said that Komnas Perempuan is cooperating with various institutions, media, community networks, and youth organizations to improve literacy and public knowledge regarding the anti-sexual violence bill.

Through such collaboration, Komnas Perempuan is creating online campaign content in the form of posters that are being uploaded on various official Komnas Perempuan platforms, especially on social media.

"We are also creating campaign materials with 'twibbon' on social media and organizing public discussions with young people," he said.

Increasing literacy on the RUU PKS is expected to increase public awareness regarding the importance of ratifying the bill, he added. Thus, it can be a trigger for the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) to immediately ratify the RUU PKS, he said.

Related news: Sexual violence bill can offer hope to victims of abuse







Translator: Putu Indah, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2021