Mr. Chairman, May I, on behalf of my delegation, extend our appreciation to you and other members of the Bureau for the unflagging efforts to ensure the successful work of this Committee. I would also like to commend the UN Secretary-General for his various reports addressing the works being done for the advancement of women. Before I speak further, my delegation wishes to associate itself with the distinguished delegate of Morocco who spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. While progress in the promotion of women and their rights through the efforts of the UN and individual member States is notable, women continue to face difficult challenges in this early phase of the new century. As discussed in the UNIFEM’s “Progress of the World’s Women 2002”, women are grappling with hard facts such as the emotional pull of unpaid care work, the excitement and the exhaustion stemming from the struggle for equality and respect, and the terrible toll of ongoing violence against women, in public and private, in war and during peace time. It is pertinent that at this stage we reaffirm our determination to implement commitments concerning women agreed at relevant major U.N. conferences and summits. It is time for us to act accordingly, not to create new commitments. Progress in bringing women’s concerns and gender perspectives to the fore in global processes should be put into practical and operational actions at national level without delay. Mr. Chairman, The advancement and empowerment of women in Indonesia is a national priority and gender mainstreaming is currently supported in all aspects of development and civic life. All government offices, together with public institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), women’s organizations, and the mass media are currently working together to achieve gender equity and gender equality in family, community, national, and country life. The implementation of gender mainstreaming at the local level has focused on empowering institutions to be gender responsive, through training and financial support; collaborating with community organizations such as Family Health Assistance (PKK), Centers for Women’s Studies, and NGOs to optimize gender mainstreaming implementation; and working with Local House representatives (DPRD) to regulate and build local infrastructures for gender mainstreaming. Indonesia pays particular attention to the issues of trafficking in women and children and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. In order to prevent and minimize the problem, two Presidential Decrees were issued in 2002, which form as the basis for the establishment of the National Action Plan for the Elimination of Trafficking of Women and Children and the National Action Plan for the Elimination of Commercial Sexual Exploitation Against Children. We fully support the participation of women in politics and decision-making processes at all levels—national, provincial, and local. Their participation is guaranteed by National Law No. 12/2003 on “General Elections.” Under this Law, each political party participating in a general election is able to use a 30% quota for women representatives. As far as women and politics are concerned, we welcome the draft resolution on women and political participation proposed by the United States. Our delegation is committed to constructively participating in the deliberation of the drat resolution. Indonesia also pays particular attention
to women in rural areas. We believe that they should be empowered
and given access to various resources they require. In the context
of decentralization and regional autonomy processes such as that currently
occurring in Indonesia, they should be assured to have opportunities
in benefiting from the processes. Indonesia steadily moves forward in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session. The Office of the Minister for Women Empowerment has been serving as the national focal point in that effort. We emphasize the importance of international assistance and technical cooperation to strengthen our national capacity and institutions, and the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment in particular. Greater international cooperation and technical assistance is critically important for Indonesia, which continues to undergo rapid transformation towards a more democratic state. We believe that sustainable capacity-building efforts will enable Indonesia to effectively implement the commitments contained the 1994 Jakarta Declaration for the Advancement of Women in Asia and the Pacific, the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the Beijing+5 Political Declaration and Outcome Document, and to fulfilling its reporting obligations under CEDAW in a prompt manner. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, we hold
the view that since women issues are multidimentional, inter-sectoral,
integrated and coherent measures are required in addressing those
issues. Partnership involving diverse stakeholders at all levels is
also essential. Indonesia is committed to substantively contributing
to those endeavours.
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