Challenge of NU Women Autonomy Remains Increase

Jakarta, NU Online
An effort to develop NU women cadres to make themselves parallel to men is still in great challenges, though they have such capacity to develop themselves. Cultural challenges have vulnerably forced them to keep silent and accept their fate.

Chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) HM Rozy Munir said that PBNU has such a program in developing cadres. For instance, there is an effort to equalize between men and women, say that short course program to UK that has run for several periods.

“We have most of the time faced such problems of female candidates coming from Islamic Boarding “Pesantren” School in regions. Sometimes, they have no permission from their husbands, are pregnant or have no qualifications,” Rozy said in a workshop “ Women’s Political Participation in Strengthening Regional Autonomy”, organized by Women Corps of Indonesian Muslim Student Movement (KORPRI) in Jakarta (11/7).

Nevertheless, the Chairman of the Center  for Demographic Research suggested that Jakarta’s NU women cadres have shown their qualification. Respecting the scholarships provided by PBNU to UK and Singapore for instance, those who pass are even women.

Women's domestic role say that managing household that becomes a challenge of them. For the household’s matters, it should immediately be solved to address interests for all.

The former Minister of the State’s Owned Enterprise during Abdurrahman Wahid’s administration told his parent’s experience, KH Munasir. He said that initially his wife had become a member of Mojokerto’s Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), while his father elected to be a member of House of Representatives RI from NU that had still been a party. At that time, his wife had resigned from the member of DPRD, and had taken care of his 14 children, fulfilling successfully academic degree.

“The important thing is that there is clear job descriptions for collective interests,” he said.
At present, the effort to empower women are increasingly well as it compared to the last several years ago. Yet, the three son father expected the women not only to demand, but also to prepare themselves to fulfill such required qualifications.

Doubled Role Challenge

At the same forum, Vice Secretary of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Rieke Dyah Pitaloka pointed out that the doubled role that should be performed is absolutely heavier than men if they want to be active in public affairs.

“Women’s domestic roles that well known as an idiom kitchen, well, and mattress have made many women internally not to pay attention to public affairs anymore, poor reference, activity, and have no self confidence.

Besides, there are external factors causing women’s role increasingly restricted. In many meetings or forums conducted at nights, these meetings are often dominated by men, due to the women regarded impolite while going out at nights. They are also most of the time not provided time to speak or even invited for the only head of household has the invitation. 

“This makes such problem simplification, so there is no acknowledgment to the different needs,” she said.

According to the data as expressed by “Oneng” in a film Bajai Bajuri argued that Sweden constitutes a country that absolutely appreciate women and children. There, the women’s rights are protected such as leaving for pregnancy menstruation, bringing up children, and so on. “At present, Sweden’s 22 ministers, 50 percent are women. This makes Sweden to be the most prosperous country. (mkf)