In commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (#16Daysof Activism), ‘Aisyiyah organised a webinar on December 1, 2023, disseminating “The Role of ‘Aisyiyah in Implementing the Sexual Violence Criminal Law (UU TPKS).” The event shared ‘Aisyiyah’s experience in implementing the TPKS Law through its legal aid centres (Posbakum). Participants included government representatives, legal aid organisations representatives from ‘Aisyiyah’s Posbakum from Central Java and West Sumatra, and INKLUSI’s disability advocacy partners.
“‘Aisyiyah is committed to continually raising public awareness and making efforts in prevention and intervention, including support for victims of violence, particularly women and children, one of which is through Posbakum,” stated Tri Hastuti, General Secretary of ‘Aisyiyah, in her opening remarks.
Posbakum is a community legal aid institution established by ‘Aisyiyah, in response to growing community need for free support and assistance in seeking justice, including for cases under the purview of the sexual violence law. Currently, ‘Aisyiyah operates 27 Posbakum at the provincial and regional levels, 7 of which have already been accredited by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. One of the issues handled by Posbakum is child marriage. The prevention of child marriage in Indonesia is one of the key pillars of INKLUSI Program.
“Child marriage is the root cause of violence against women that needs to be reported and handled properly. Hopefully, more Posbakum can provide services for victims of violence,” expressed Eni Widiyanti, Deputy Assistant for the Protection of Women’s Rights from Domestic Violence (KDRT) and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups under the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA).
Posbakum ‘Aisyiyah collaborates closely withservice-providing institutions like LBH APIK to whom they refer cases. Khotimun Sutanti, Acting Chairperson of the LBH APIK Association, emphasised the significant role of Posbakum in assisting in the handling, protection, and recovery of victims of sexual violence at the grassroots.
Siti Kasiyati, Chairperson of Posbakum ‘Aisyiyah Central Java, shared her experience in providing legal assistance for disabled women victims of violence. Siti recounted that Posbakum ‘Aisyiyah Central Java collaborated with INKLUSI Partner Disability Inclusion Centre and Advocacy Movement (SIGAB), in realising inclusive justice and advocating for the formulation of procedures and legal assistance for people with disabilities.
Kholidah Nur, Chairperson of Posbakum ‘Aisyiyah West Sumatra, shared their experiences assisting victims of domestic violence, stressing the importance of not only providing free legal assistance but also psychological support for the recovery of victims, the majority of whom are women.
Through the INKLUSI Program, ‘Aisyiyah is also committed to providing education on the prevention of violence against women and children in the Balai Sakinah ‘Aisyiyah (BSA) community, enhancing the capacity of religious figures related to gender justice, compiling books and guidelines on gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) from an Islamic perspective, providing education on sexual and reproductive health rights for adolescents, and actively campaigning and advocating for the prevention of child marriages.
All these activities reflect ‘Aisyiyah’s commitment to providing support, prevention, and education to address the issues of violence against women and children to realise an inclusive Indonesia free from violence.
