Jakarta)

Indonesia National Chapter of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians against Corruption (GOPAC) is endorsing a fairer system of  gender equality in Indonesia. Fairer system will open up space and widening the opportunity for women in contributing to fight against corruption.

“Women’s role in eradicating corruption  is quite significant. However, it will only has an influencing  role if the political system becomes fairer enough for women to get involved in the politics and decision making processes” as stated by Dr.Nurhayati Ali Assegaf, Member of Indonesia National Chapter of GOPAC as well as Member of GOPAC Global Task Force on Participation of Society.

Mrs. Eva Kusuma Sundari, Member of the Indonesia National Chapter of GOPAC, adds that  gender equality could not be defined only in terms of the  numbers of women involved in politics, but also in the forms of fairer system indicated by  opportunities for women to hold strategic positions, established democratic system, and equitable, just and strong legal certainty.  Reflecting from the deliberation during the General Assembly of the South East Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC)  in Medan last year, Mrs. Sundari reiterate that corruption is not a matter of gender, but culture. “To handle it,  in addition to opening access for wider women involvement, Government should be consistent in enforcing law and upholding democracy”.

Both MPs are also  positively responds to GOPAC Publication on "Gender Equality in Parliaments and Political Corruption", which recomend wider women's involvement in politic by creating women’s wing within the political party; reviewing  political party rules and procedure to acomodate women’s interest; building equality committee inside parliament; and also creating system that allow equal opportunity both for women and men to hold decision maker position. They also believe that increasing number of Women Parliamentarians give positive effect to corruption eradication movement. Further,   the publication by GOPAC also stated that gender equality should be in line with better monitoring system inside parliament as well as enhancing collaboration with international and civil society organisations for the next step in the fight against corruption.

GOPAC is a global parliamentarians organisation based in Canada focusing in the corruption eradication. GOPAC has 50 National Chapter on  five continents, including the Indonesia National Chapter headed by H.E. Pramono Anung Wibawa, Vice-Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives.(Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation)