Legal, Gender & Society Research Center (LGS) Faculty of Law UGM attended the invitation from Regional House of Representatives of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DPRP). The invitation was regarding the “Public Hearing and Feedback from Experts for Regional Regulations No. 18 Year 1954 concerning Prohibition of Prostitution in Public Spaces” on Wednesday (12/06/2024). The attendance of LGS in this event is one of the form of support for the 1st point of SDGs on No Poverty, 5th goals on Gender Equality, and 16th goals on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institution.
The event was a form of facilitation from the DIY DPRD to listen to the views of the community represented by experts/specialists as well as a means of discussion between the government and the community regarding prostitution in public places. Nurholis Suharman as the Chairperson of the Special Committee opened the event and said that PERDA 18/1954 was considered quite old and irrelevant. The activity was continued with presentations from two speakers, namely Istiana Hernawati as the Main Expert Researcher of the Public Policy Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Vinolia Wakijo as the Director of the Yogyakarta Kebaya Foundation.
Regional Regulation No. 18 of 1954 is no longer relevant in the present context, thus a significant revision of the regulation is needed. Istiana Hernawati presented a study on the prohibition of prostitution in public spaces and offered several recommendations for revising Regional Regulation 18/1954 in the future. Meanwhile, Vinolia Wakijo delivered a presentation on policies related to prostitution that need to adopt a human rights-based perspective, as well as the experiences of the Kebaya Foundation Yogyakarta in supporting communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
The discussion agenda between the speakers and the public hearing participants was then opened. Several participants delivered their responses and recommendations including representatives from LGS Faculty of Law UGM. Muhammad Ryandaru Danisworo, S.H., LL.M. together with Maryamul Chumairo A.M., S.H. as LGS researchers conveyed that based on the study conducted by LGS, the phenomenon of prostitution is the result of extreme economic inequality and gender equality issues, so that women involved in prostitution can be positioned as victims. Women involved in prostitution also experience multiple victimization due to their marginalized position. This victimization includes victimization from crimes such as human trafficking and violence in various forms. In fact, when women involved in prostitution try to get justice, they often get discrimination from society and also law enforcement. Considering this problem, LGS recommends that the government conduct a study that is participatory, gender sensitive, and has a human rights perspective. LGS also conveyed several models for regulating the phenomenon of prostitution that can be considered by the DIY DPRD, including models that respond to the phenomenon of prostitution from the root of the problem. LGS expressed its readiness and commitment to assist the DIY DPRD in responding to the prostitution phenomenon in Yogyakarta.
Writer : Arimbi Fajari Furqon
