GALAA 2014: GLocal Advocacy of Post 2015

One of the most difficult parts of advocacy is negotiation. It does not only require strong argumentation and how deep we understand the substance, but it also seriously to consider 3P (position, personality and Power), understanding political preposition of somebody and country where she/he comes from. Therefore, I am interested to participate to GALAA 2, a seven days training on strengthening activist with knowledge and skill advocacy on Post 2015 Development Agenda by integrating human rights, democracy and development.

Unlike other training, Forum Asia, Asia Development Alliance (ADA) and Asia Democracy Network (ADN), provided practical skills for human rights defenders, development workers and democracy activist with framework called Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) to be used in Post 2015 global advocacy. In addition, the training was intended to linkage between global and local at national and regional level to strengthen voice of Asia on the post 2015. 30 representatives from three different types of civil societies from Southeast Asia, South Asia and NorthEast Asia have learnt about HRBA in the context of development and to use effectively in advocacy post 2015 Agenda. Anselmo Lee from South Korea and Rebecca Malay from Philippines provided us with simple mapping of UN procedure, global meetings relating to development, and global-regional-sub regional actors to human rights, development and democracy.

The training contains of 6 parts;

1. Basic concept of Human Rights Based Approach
2. Introduction on Post 2015 and Proposed 17 SDGs
3. Mechanism and Process of Human Rights and Development
4. Mapping and Coalition Building at Global-Regional- Sub Regional
5. Advocacy on Post 2015: Drafting Goals, Negotiation, Oral Statement
6. Next Action 

You can read the complete version of summary of training at this link. 

Revolusi Mental Pemuda: Subyek atau Obyek Perubahan?

Revolusi Mental itu miliknya Komunitas. Sepenggal kalimat ini saya kutip dari salah satu peserta Talkshow tentang Visi dan Misi Capres dan Cawapres di UIN Syarifhidayatullah yang diselenggarakan oleh Pemberdaya Muda kerjasama dengan Jurusan Pemberdayan Masyarakat Islam Fakultas Dakwah. Si Penanya menggunakan referensi Karl Max dan sejarah China yang memberikan justifikasi Revolusi Mental itu sangat mirip dengan diusung oleh komunis. Anick H. Tohari, pengarang buku "Kuburlah Kami Hidup-Hidup", menekankan bahwa konsep Revolusi Mental yang dibawah oleh Capres No. 2 mungkin saja berbeda dengan cara kita memberikan interpretasi. Sehingga terlalu sederhana kemudian memberikan justifikasi bahwa dengan mengusung revolusi mental lantas ini dalam rangka membangkitkan kembali PKI. 

Current Funding Trends and Their Impact on the Future of Feminist Movement Building (part 1)

Watering the Leaves, Starving the Roots. Adalah kiasan yang menyiratkan kondisi trend funding yang bergeser dari gerakan perempuan ke individu perempuan dan anak perempuan. The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) melakukan study trend funding untuk pemberdayaan perempuan pada tahun 2013 memberikan gambaran peta peredaran dan prosentase pendanaan di dunia untuk NGO, serta memetakan aktor baru yang disebutnya sebagai the emerging donor, yaitu sektor swasta yang memiliki passion dan mendukung pemberdayaan perempuan dan anak perempuan. Saya jadi ingat konsep Public Private Partnership (PPP) yang masih diragukan dampak positifnya bagi pemberdayaan masyarakat menuju kemandirian. Pasalnya, kepentingan sektor swasta sangat dikendalikan oleh benefit material, dimana setiap sen yang dikeluarkan oleh sektor swasta tentu akan kembali dalam bentuk keuntungan. Dialog 3 jam dengan donor tentang trend pendanaan gerakan perempuan menghadirkan Global Fund for Women (Peiyo Chen), MamaCash (Esther Vonk), Frida (Ruby Johson, dan South Asia Women Fund (Anisha Chugh). Workshop diselenggarakan oleh AWID bekerjasama dengan Asia Pacific Feminist Conference (APFF) di Chiangmai.

Asia Pacific Feminist Forum; Reframing Feminist Vision

“My name is Ruby, from Indonesia and I am feminist”. Anda bisa bayangkan ungkapan saya tersebut saya lontarkan di sebuah workshop “Women and Family” di Iran, yang diselenggarakan oleh Universitas Tehran. Banyak orang masih sangat takut dengan feminist karena diasosiasikan dengan melawan laki-laki, terlalu bebas, dan perempuan yang tidak bisa diatur. Ini sangat wajar karena feminisme mempengaruhi banyak perempuan untuk berpikir beyond the box dan mempertanyakan relasi kuasa di ruang yang paling rahasia yaitu keluarga. Keluarga yang dianggap tempat paling pribadi, justru oleh feminist dijadikan basis pembebasan untuk menciptakan dunia yang lebih baik.

Suasana pembebasan dan perlawanan para feminist, saya rasakan sangat kuat di Konferensi Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF) yang diselenggarakan oleh Asia Pacific Women, Law and Development (APWLD) di Chiangmai. 300 feminist dari negara-negara di Asia Pacific melakukan refleksi dan memperbaharui komitmen mereka sebagai feminist melalui ruang-ruang refleksi, debat dan percakapan informal.

Kertas Posisi (2) Kondisi Perempuan & Kebebasan Beragama dan Berkeyakinan di Indonesia

Awal bulan February 2014, AMAN Indonesia mengundang Siti Rohmah untuk menghadiri workshop capacity building di Jakarta. Sayangnya ijin tidak bisa didapat. Gadis 14 tahun ini salah seorang pengungsi Syiah Sampang yang sehari-hari mengajar baca tulis anak-anak dan ibu-ibu di rusun Puspo Agro Jemundo Sidoarjo. Keinginannya untuk meneruskan pendidikan di SLTP harus dipendam, karena kedua orang tuanya kurang mampu. Belum lagi penyakit kronis yang dialaminya, membuat hampir semua asset keluarganya terjual. Gambaran ini lengkap menceritakan betapa malang ia terusir dari tanah kelahirannya, tidak berdaya untuk mendapatkan akses pendidikan dan kesehatan, hanya karena ia bagian dari kelompok minoritas (agama). Rohmah juga harus mengubur dalam-dalam keinginan dia untuk menikmati “kemewahan” mendapatkan kesempatan belajar. Kesulitan mendapatkan ijin dari keluarga atau dari pimpinan organisasi membuat banyak perempuan minoritas terhabat proses keberdayaannya. Padahal mereka mendapatkan diskriminasi berlapis dan mengalami bentuk kekerasan yang ekstrim pada saat penyerangan.

Draft Kerta Posisi[1]: Penghapusan Aturan Hukum yang Diskriminatif terhadap Perempuan

Mengapa Penting Pembatalan Aturan-Aturan Diskriminatif Perempuan?

”Ayah…Maafin putri ya yah, Putri udah malu-maluin ayah sama semua orang. Tapi Putri berani bersumpah kalau Putri gak pernah jual diri sama orang. Malam itu putri cuma mau nonton kibot di Langsa, terus Putri duduk di lapangan begadang sama kawan-kawan Putri[2].” 

Begitulah pengakuan Putri, siswi kelas 2 SMP asal Aceh Timur sebelum mengakhiri hidupnya karena merasa terhina dengan tuduhan semena-mena dari aparat penegak Shariah Islam di Aceh. Kasus salah tangkap ini juga terjadi pada Lilis Lisdawati Mahmuda di Kota Tangerang tahun 2008 yang karena tekanan masyarakat mengucilkan diri. Satu tahun kemudian nasib serupa menimpa Fifi Aryani yang ditangkap Satpol PP pada malam di bulan Mei 2009. Korban akhirnya menceburkan diri di Sungai Cisadane lantaran ketakutan dirazia.

“Aku ingin hidup seribu tahun lagi” : Solidaritas untuk Aktifis Perempuan: Zohra Andi Baso

Bunyi status kak Zohra yang menyiratkan semangat hidupnya yang luar biasa, mengalahkan kondisinya yang masih membutuhkan pemulihan. Saat ini kak Zohra sedang dalam proses pengobatan.  Ia sangat penting untuk kita dukung dalam bentuk apapun, dan dukungan ini akan membuatnya kuat menghadapi proses penyembuhan tersebut. Solidaritas dan dukungan kita adalah wujud dari ikatan persaudaraan yang terbangun karena perjuangan bersama membela hak-hak perempuan dan kelompok lemah lainnya. Kak Zohra berada di garda terdepan untuk itu.

Kak Zohra adalah aktivis perempuan yang sebagian besar hidupnya ia dedikasikan untuk membangun gerakan perempuan di Indonesia dan Sulawesi Selatan khususnya. Melalui tangannyalah beberapa organisasi perempuan berkembang dan berkiprah memperjuangkan tegaknya kesetaraan dan keadilan gender.  Selain itu, ia juga aktif terlibat dalam gerakan pro-demokrasi dan konsumen, selain juga menjadi jurnalis di berbagai media di Sulawesi Selatan. Tetapi saat ini, kondisi kak Zohra belum sepenuhnya pulih.  Ia terus berobat untuk menyembuhkan penyakitnya ini dengan biaya besar yang harus terus menerus dikeluarkannya.  Tak bisa ditampik, saat ini kak Zohra sangat membutuhkan dukungan kita, kawan-kawannya yang selama ini bahu membahu membela hak-hak perempuan dan marginal. Dukungan kita tidak hanya akan meringankan kak Zohra tetapi juga akan semakin membuatnya yakin bahwa solidaritas yang selama ini dibangunnya sudah bekerja dengan baik.

Bertepatan dengan Hari Perempuan Internasional 8 Maret 2014, “Gerakan Perempuan Mewujudkan Indonesia Beragam” mengajak untuk merapat membantu kak Zohra dan membuatnya kuat melalui rangkaian proses pengobatan yang tidak hanya sulit tetapi juga melelahkan.

Dukungan dalam bentuk apapun dapat diberikan langsung kepada kak Zohra atau jika berupa uang dapat disampaikan melalui rekening Institut KAPAL Perempuan Bank Mandiri no. rekening: 124-000-622-5578, Kalibata Indah Blok K No.20, Jl Rawajati Timur, Jakarta Selatan. Jika bermaksud mengirim email ke kak Zohra, silahkan dikirim ke: zohrabaso@hotmail.com; basozohra17@gmail.com. 

***

Pasca Reformasi di Indonesia: Kelompok Masyarakat Madani Intoleran v.s Gerakan Feminisme Indonesia

Terinspirasi oleh kuliah umum Prof. Sidney Jones yang berjudul "Sisi Gelap Reformasi di Indonesia: Munculnya Kelompok Masyarakat Madani Intoleran" yang diselenggarakan oleh Yayasan Paramadina pada hari Kamis, 19 Desember 2013, saya kemudian melakukan refleksi dalam artikel ini. Kalau Prof. Sidney banyak mengupas tentang kelompok madani intoleran atau kelompok anti demokrasi yang main hakim sendiri, seperti GAPAS, FUI, FPI, HTI dan sebagainya, yang sangat mengancam demokratisasi di Indonesia. Saya sangat tertarik untuk melihat kapasitas di masyarakat madani toleran untuk melakukan counter wacana dan aksi, sebagai balancing power di Indonesia. Terutama saya ingin mewacanakan kembali pentingnya belajar dari gerakan feminisme untuk merumuskan model gerakan militantly moderate yang konkrit dan membumi.

Kesetaraan dan Keadilan Gender (KKG) bagi Perempuan Minoritas

Perempuan minoritas mengalami diskriminasi berlapis-lapis. Sebagai perempuan mereka sering dianggap kelas kedua dan sedikit otoritas dalam memutuskan keputusan strategis untuk perempuan sendiri, apalagi untuk masyarakat luas. Saya masih ingat dengan hasil enggement AMAN Indonesia, lembaga dimana saya bekerja bahwa kelompok perempuan minoritas dari Ahmadiyah misalnya harus menunggu keputusan dari majelis utama dimana laki-laki sangat dominan. Di kalangan Shia, perempuan juga sangat lemah tingkat leadershipnya sehingga sirkulasi informasi sulit sampai ke mereka jika dibiarkan natural. Perempuan elit mungkin masih bisa mendapatkan akses lebih mudah. Saya juga surprise, ternyata perempuan GKI Yasmin yang saya anggap sangat progresif juga mengalami nasib yang sama, bahwa mereka tidak bisa memutuskan sendiri apa yang dianggap baik oleh kelompok perempuan. Dewan gereja harus memberikan restunya. 

Adanya RUU Kesetaraan dan Keadilan Gender (KKG) dapat memberikan perspektif lebih jelas tentang bagaimana memposisikan perempuan dan laki-laki setara dan memiliki akses politik yang sama. Terlebih lagi kalau ini bisa diterapkan secara teknis ke dalam perencanaan pembangunan. Tentu indikator akan semakin jelas dan langsung mengena sasaran yang tepat. Sayangnya, pembahasan RUU KKG masih macet. Salah satu partai politik yaitu Partai Keadilan Sejahtera tidak sepakat adanya RUU ini. Menurut mereka ini sangat bertentangan dengan kodrat perempuan. Padahal kalau dilihat isinya, RUU ini memberikan tempat semulia-mulianya pada kedua gender karena memang mereka terlahir setara. Seperti yang disampaikan oleh Al'Quran Surat Alhujurat ayat 13 bahwa hanya ketaqwaan saja yang membedakan laki-laki dan perempuan. Semoga PKS mau membaca dan mencerna lagi isu RUU KKG, sehingga bukan hanya permepuan biasa yang terselamatkan, tetapi juga perempuan minoritas memiliki akses seluas-luasnya untuk penguatan leadership mereka. *** 

Sumber foto here

Sustainable Peace For Sampang; Can Shia reconcile with Sunni and resettle in Sampang?

After 20 days staying in Jakarta, the Goes , representative of Shia people from Sampang-Madura- East Java, who came to Jakarta by bicycle, eventually were received by President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudoyono on 14 July 2013. Mr. Yudoyono has promised that He will lead the process of reconciliation between Sunni and Shia in Sampang. He also remarked to all Muslim in Indonesia to not spread hate speech to other group and will take the situation of Sampang as strong consideration to impose the development agenda. Can Presiden bring sustainable peace for Sampang?

I must say "yes, it is possible". Moreover, the president can also take an initiative of reconciliation between Sunni and Shia in Sampang and bring the agenda of resettlement of almost 233 people who currently are staying at Puspo Agro Apartment in Sidoarjo, nearby the capital of East Java Province. The current situation between Shia and Sunni seems stuck. The national discourse on Shia and the local discourse is not match. Majority voice of Muslim in East Java claims that Shia is not part of Islam, While in National level strongly support that Shia is recognized by International Muslim Society. It is big fact. Another controversial issues relating with this is about inconsistency internal voice of Nahdatul Ulama (NU), the biggest muslim mass organization, in which provincial and distric branch agree that Shia is heresy. While, in National Level, the head of NU, strongly addresses that Shia is one of school of thought of Islam. Though, there are intervention of program has been doing for conflict resolution, in fact the intervention program was only remedy the impact of conflict, not to resolve the root causes of conflict. So, it is unquestionable that the intervention from the president is urgent. To support this progress, i may suggest the president of Indonesia to take some points as considerations before designing model of conflict resolution for Sampang.

Strategic Regional Conversation: The Changing Context for Women’s Rights in Southeast Asia Agenda

I was invited by JASS SEA, the network of feminist movement building in Southeast Asia to have conversation relating to current context of women’s rights in Southeast Asia Agenda. The uniqueness about this network is to nurture organic movement of grass root people, which I have been seeking for the last 2 years after my short course on Non Violent Civil Resistance at Tufts University Boston. The two days workshop on 17-18 June 2013 that held in Anantara Resort and Hotel in Bangkok brought women regional networks such as Musawah, APWLD, ISIS, ASBE, AMAN, ARROW, The third world network, and national based organization such as Gabriela, Bina Desa, Komunitas Pelangi, Silaka, Pusat Koma, etc.

The first day of workshop was to explore the changing context of women’s rights in Southeast Asia, in which participants shared their source of anger as well as inspiration happen in the national and international context. Recently, a group of monk in Burma proposed a bill on restriction of inter-marriage for women because this could dilute the original culture and religion of Buddhism. Burmese government has passed the regulation on "2 child policy for Rohingya". Just remind me to “state of fatherhood” in Singapore where Malay could not have more children because they are not qualified. In Thailand, recently the government erased practice of discrimination on "hair" in public services (government officer of Thailand often bother with hair model of people coming to get services. this caused strong reaction from civil society because this more targeted to "ketoy" (transgender). They replaced with finger print, so to identify each person. In one of small island of Indonesia, a single woman used to be abandoned by community because of her status and her activities in organizing the women of head household, after 11 years, when she came back to her village, people accepted her and celebrate her success as she is a hero. 

Story from Poso: Transformation begins from "me"

Her name is Yurlianti. She is almost 40 years old, with a child and a husband. I met her in 2008, when AMAN Indonesia started project of Increasing the role of women in peacebuilding. Like other women in that area, She was one of victim of conflict in which her father was murdered by her (Muslim) neighbor, who was provoked by mass to attack and kill each other. Though it was not easy for Yurlianti to accept the situation knowing that the murderer of her father is living in one village with her, on the other hand she would like to continue the life. When AMAN Indonesia offered a week training on conflict transformation and peacebuilding in Poso, she was selected as one among 45 participants coming from Poso district with equal number of Muslim and christian group. 

After training, her strong interest on learning new knowledge as well as to build better communication with Muslim neighbor has brought her into a long term education process in AMAN Indonesia and a learning by doing training as women's leader. With Sekolah Perempuan Perdamaian (women school for peace, later on i call it SP) that AMAN Indonesia introduced in Poso 2008 as an alternative media for interfaith women to build their self-confidence, basic knowledge on women human rights, peacebuilding, tolerance, etc. Unlike other peace education, SP was designed 2-4 hours education per week. It required strong commitment to joint with the program, because the program offer "transformation" as the final outcome. It means that the participants of SP will change their perspective, attitude and behavior. Yurlianti took this steps to increase her capacity in writing, speaking, listening, negotiating, presenting, facilitating etc.  

Her process is speeding when she was elected as an coordinator of SP, an alternative woman organization initiated by women of Malei Lage in responding demand on fasten improvement of knowledge and skill on  women's leadership. So the best way to learn women's leadership is by involving in an organization. It was surprising to me that she was supported by Muslim women too. It is indicating that she is accepted in Muslim women group and christian group. 

She began to think about transformation within family. Knowing that husband did not much support her, she tried to ask her husband to send her to any social activity that she got an invitation to attend. The idea is to  let him familiar with her activity. Every time she came from a regular class, she let her note book on the table expecting that husband opens it after he come back home. She started better communication with husband. One day, when the organization is growing and trying to learn how to be independent. She found that stick from coconut leaf could be used as basic materials to create a traditional plate. She brought facilitator from neighboring village to train mothers, and some more people during gathering in village. At the moment, the village leader supported this initiative. In this occasion, it was by accident that she discovered that her husband was a quick learner. From his hand, a new design of traditional plate produced and marketed to different places. Now, her husband is one of potential trainer. 

Now, it is amazing to see him always supporting whereever she is going and be ready for any help. Including in transforming men in the village.

Why is Yurlianti interesting for me? She is one of women in the program who has been put strong commitment for transformation. She can show me detail process of transformation from "me" to husband, family and community very clear. She deserves a tittle as extra ordinary woman, because when she started the program she was not confidence to talk and argued. But now, she shows strong leadership for transformation with the support of her family and community. *** 

(Perhaps some stories about her is also covered nicely by amanindonesia.org , this is just my personal impression as a woman who believe on transformation. Feedback can be send to dwiruby@yahoo.com or just posting to comment)

Perempuan Minoritas, Saatnya Bersatu

Beberapa bulan lalu, ketika saya membantu kawan-kawan dari GKI Yasmin untuk menggalang massa untuk mendukung pembebasan gereja mereka, dalam kunjungan ke Mahkamah Agung mengantarkan Ibu Tajul Muluk, saya sempatkan untuk mencari dukungan di kalangan perempuan Shiah untuk memberikan dukungan pada GKI Yasmin. " Saya belum bisa mbak," akhirnya seorang ibu dari kelompok shiah memberikan kembali kartu pos ke saya dengan ekspresi jujur. Saya menghargai ini dan mengatakan bahwa sebuah dukungan itu harus dilakukan tanpa paksaan dan sesama kelompok minoritas memang seharusnya saling mendukung. 

Tentu saja peristiwa mungkin juga terjadi pada banyak orang yang enggan memberikan dukungan pada kelompok minoritas meskipun dia sendiri juga minoritas. Keengganan ini juga bisa dilihat pada saat aksi protes, dimana tidak semua kelompok minoritas berani tampil di publik. Apalagi untuk memberikan dukungan terbuka atas nama lembaga, pastinya akan lebih sulit lagi. 

Tulisan ini saya persembahkan bagi para perempuan kelompok minoritas yang membaca blok saya. Dalam lingkungan yang tingkat represinya tinggi, tidak ada pilihan lain bagi kelompok minoritas selain bersatu. Bersatu tentu saja tidak mudah. Dibutuhkan cara pandang terbuka dan pengakuan jujur bahwa "mereka juga punya kebenaran". Ini tentu saja tidak mudah. Namun, saya ingin tawarkan strategi termudah bagaimana caranya agar perbedaan keyakinan ini bisa diletakkan dalam kerangka berpikir yang berbeda. 

Confronting Fundamentalism, Raising Awareness on Minorities Rights in Indonesia

This paper is presented by Dwi Rubiyanti Kholifah in The UN Fifth Minority Forum, Geneva 26th -28th  November 2012

Indonesia Context: Situation of Religious Minority 

“Rukun agawe sentosa, trah agawe bubrah” (unified lead to welfare, split lead to separation), is values rooted among people of Wiladeg village, Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. To create common understanding this values, some religious and community leaders create a metaphor called “mata air” (the spring), to describe relationships among multi ethnicities, religions and beliefs in the village. Mr. Koco, head of village, illustrate that the existence of the spring, naturally requires the contribution of some elements such as soil, trees, animals, which bind into the life cycle. In other words, the spring as source of life cannot stand alone, however must be connected with all elements of life. Similarly, the life of one person in the village interconnectedness with other elements such as culture, philosophy of life, values, belief, religion, education, and social status that can be derived from each of one in the village. So, united is the only way to keep “harmony”, which each uniqueness should be accepted as part of whole picture of community." 

My first exposure on March 2011 to Wiladeg has drown me a lot of attention on how people in the village get inspiration to use a culture mechanism to confront fundamentalism promoting exclusiveness, moral superiority over different culture and religion, gender and religious. To generate people awareness on accepting diversities, the leader enable environment of acceptance by generating different village forum to let exchange experience and knowledge among villager happening, such as Bersih Desa (village cleaning), securing worship places, people gathering to discuss about challenges faced by people and find the best solution to preserve “harmony”. In the level of family, understanding genealogist family is used by parents to familiarize children with diversities within family. Hence, feeling of acceptance of differences can be planted since early age. Moreover, children learn about culture of respecting the senior. It is important part of teaching in the family, because when children can respect the elder then they will easily respect everyone regardless religion, social class, ethnicity and gender.