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Chief of the Presidential Staff Office, Moeldoko. (ANTARA/HO-Kantor Staf Presiden) - 

Chief of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), Moeldoko, lauded the progress made on the sexual violence prevention bill after the legislative body of the House of Representatives agreed to designate the bill as legislature's initiative.

The designation of the bill as legislature's initiative, which was agreed upon after deliberations concluded on Wednesday (December 8, 2021), allows the bill to proceed to the next step before its ratification.

"The legislative body has grasped and understood public aspirations and, reflecting on sexual violence cases, translated it into a formidable commitment to prevent and eradicate sexual violence," Moeldoko said in a written statement issued in Jakarta on Saturday.

To ensure quick ratification of the bill, the KSP has initiated a cross-institution task force, the chief said.

The cross-institution task force comprises the Presidential Staff Office, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, the Attorney General's Office, and the National Police, he informed.

Deputy V of the KSP, Jaleswari Pramodhawardhani, who is also serving as the task force's deputy head, expressed the hope that the task force will be successful in advancing the bill.

"Stakeholders from multiple sectors that will converge on this task force are members of the public, academics, and media. We hope the sexual violence prevention bill will advance till its finalization and become a hope for sexual violence victims upon its ratification," she said.

Meanwhile, deputy minister of Law and Human Rights, Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, informed that the task force will coordinate with institutions on various levels to ensure the speedy ratification of the bill.

Proposed in 2016, the sexual violence prevention bill has remained stalled ever since due to objections raised by members of the public and challenging negotiations among the parliamentary parties for a compromise on the bill's wording and clauses.

Parliament members agreed to include the bill on the national legislative program earlier this year after intensive public advocacy and compromise among parliamentary parties//ANT