"Violence against women, even in the most difficult situation, is a form of human rights violation," she stated at a virtual press conference here on Thursday.
The minister launched a 16-day campaign on elimination of violence against women in commemoration of the Anti-Violence Against Women Day on November 25.
According to Bintang, violence against women has reached an alarming level in Indonesia.
The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has recorded a spike in violence against women, with 299,911 reported cases throughout 2020.
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Calling the phenomenon of violence against women an iceberg, she explained that the actual number of cases may be higher than those reported.
"As an illustration of the imbalance in power relations, survivors can feel very afraid to report the violence they have experienced," she pointed out.
Hence, reducing violence against women and children has become one of the five priority issues that President Joko Widodo has instructed the PPPA Ministry to prioritize in its handling.
Bintang said the ministry has focused on five actions: priority on prevention, improving reporting systems and complaints services, reforming case management, implementing law enforcement processes that offer a deterrent effect, and providing assistance services as well as social rehabilitation and social reintegration.
The ministry has additional tasks and functions implemented through the Presidential Regulation Number 65 of 2020 on the PPPA Ministry that makes it a function as a provider of final referral services for women and child victims of violence in need of special protection and coordination at the national and international levels.
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Translator: Prisca T Violleta, Sri Haryati
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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