Indonesia: PRESS RELEASE: 230 Women Attended the National Jamboree

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Jakarta, Obsessionnews –- As many as 230 women leaders from various Indonesian regions will be attending the National Women Leaders Jamboree event to be held in Depok, West Java on Saturday, 7 - 9 November 2015.

This event is hosted by Institute for Women Empowerment (IWE) along with several organizations such as JALA PRT, Solidaritas Perempuan, Kalyanamitra, Yasanti, MWPRI, Tunas Mulia, KPA, Kalyanamitra, Rahima and Fahmina, Institute Pelangi Perempuan.

In the release received by Obsessionnews on Friday (6/11/2015), it explained that the women leaders involved in the Jamboree will come from several regions in Indonesia, namely Aceh, North Sumatera, Palembang, North Sumatera, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Madura, South Sulawesi. 

These women represent farmers, home-based workers, domestic workers, porter women, as well as women who live in Islamic boarding houses.

Risma Umar from Institute for Women Empowerment (IWE) stated that women leaders who will attend this meeting have been involved in the Women’s Empowerment for Leadership Development and Democratization (WELDD) program for the last four years, a program that IWE is a partner under.

This program synergizes to create women leaders from various contexts, and help them face social issues in Indonesia.

This event was motivated by the presence of gender and class-based discrimination that has caused violence against women in various contexts and situations.

Women have faced many kinds of structural violence; when defending their economical sources, for example, or when fighting for diversity and peace. These have been emerging as new initiatives and strategies by women leaders as a response to such situations.

“Violence towards women is increasing,” said Risma.

It is affected firstly by the strengthening of religious fundamentalism in several regions. This impacts violence against women as it distances communities from the values of plurality and peace.

Secondly, added Risma, the increase in land seizure, followed by demolition of building, a lack of access and control for the women farmer to agricultural land, lack of recognition of women as workers and the lack of job protection for informal workers, especially domestic workers, home-based workers and porters does not help the issue. Solidarity and new strategies have become a compulsory necessity to women leaders. (Popi Rahim)

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News source: http://bit.ly/1Ok02eM

More press reports on the event here