Jakarta – The Executive Office of the President (KSP) stands to support the Religious Affairs Ministry in issuing a ministerial regulation on the prevention and handling of sexual violence in religious-based educational institutions. It was part of the government commitment to eliminate sexual violence, especially in educational institutions, said Deputy Chief of Staff for Human Development of KSP Abetnego Tarigan.
“There is an urgency to encourage the Ministerial Regulation on the Elimination of Sexual Violence in every education units under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. It is based on the fact that sexual violence also occurs in religious-based schools,” said Abetnego during a meeting with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta, Wednesday (12/1).
This regulation came as a response towards the rise of sexual violences in religious-based schools. The recent rape and impregnation of 12 students at the Manarul Huda Islamic Boarding School Foundation and the Madani Islamic Boarding School in Bandung, West Java, has prompted calls for a national reckoning on rape culture.
“KSP pays attention to national priority programs and strategic issues. Therefore, KSP is ready to support the Ministry in formulating the regulation and to bridge the public communication regarding the matter,” continued Abetnego.
Earlier on December 27, the Director General of Islamic Education Muhammad Ali Ramdhani said that the Ministry of Religious Affairs would soon draft the regulation and it was expected to be completed in early 2022.
“It is currently in the process of being drafted at the Directorate General of Islamic Education. We wish KSP and other related ministerial offices/institutions will help to supervise the making process of the regulation,” said the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Nizar Ali.
Meanwhile, sexual violence issue has become one of KSP’s major attention. Since the beginning of last year, KSP has initiated a task force to accelerate the issuance of Sexual Violence Eradication bills (RUU PKS).
