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Screenshot—Indonesian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Kuwait, Lena Maryana Mukti, at a webinar entitled 'Meet the Diplomats' in Jakarta on Saturday (November 20, 2021). (ANTARA/Juwita Trisna Rahayu/KT) - 

Democracy without women's involvement reflects a 'democratic deficit', Indonesian Ambassador to Kuwait, Lena Maryana Mukti, has said.

"The terms of democracy is a balanced proportion of both genders in creating a democratic country. Thus, I refer to a democracy that does not include women as a 'democracy deficit'," Mukti remarked at a webinar entitled 'Meet the Diplomats' here on Saturday.

Women's participation in politics is important to produce more democratic policies, she said.

"The number of women in the world is more than men, but their (women's) political activity is still marginal. On average, it is only 15 percent throughout different countries in the world," she added.

Women make up 49.8 percent of the population, but their representation in the parliament is only 18 percent, Mukti noted.

Based on the United Nations Convention, the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) was ratified and accepted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, she said. To date, more than 170 countries have ratified it, including Indonesia, she added.

Indonesia has passed Law No. 2 of 2008 concerning at least 30-percent representation of women in political parties, both in the establishment and management at the central level, Mukti said.

However, not all political parties can meet these requirements, she noted. Therefore, 30-percent women's involvement should be listed in the statute of political parties, she said.

"So, when the election happens, they do not randomly hire (political party members)," she remarked.

In addition, there is a need to improve political understanding among women so not only the quota is fulfilled, but also quality, she said.

In 2004-2009, before the women's involvement in political parties Bill was approved, only 68 women had a seat in the parliament, she recalled.

After the law was passed, women's representation immediately rose from 11 percent to 18 percent, and the momentum was followed by the regions through the Regional Legislative Assemblies (DPRDs), she pointed out.

However, according to her, the current conditions are inseparable from the challenges that still have to be faced, such as the issue of sexism that associates women with corruption and so on.

"It is cruel. Does a man who is convicted of corruption get a similar judgment?" she stressed.

The "dirty" stigma of the political world has also led to women avoiding joining the political world, she added//ANT

Neurologist Dr. Ruth Mariva Sp.S during a virtual meeting "Being Happy in Old Age" at Bandar Lampung, Saturday (November 20, 2021). (ANTARA/Ruth Intan Sozometa Kanafi/KT) - 

Families should be more aware of early detection, as it is necessary to prevent severe dementia among the elderly, Neurologist Dr. Ruth Mariva Sp.S stated.

"Managing dementia in the elderly is important. The first step to be taken is to detect early in order to prevent deterioration," Mariva remarked during a virtual meeting in Bandar Lampung on Saturday.

The neurologist highlighted that early detection is noticeable from the symptoms, such as a decline in brain functioning due to decreasing acetylcholine substances in brain cells. These symptoms may arise due to old age.

Dementia is a decline in the brain’s ability to perform basic functions, such as thinking, remembering, speaking, and making decisions.

"Currently, human life expectancy gets higher, thereby increasing the number of elderly. Some 80 percent of the elderly have comorbidity. One of which is the decrease in acetylcholine in brain cells that has an important function in the central nervous system to process memory," she explained. 

Hence, Mariva advised to not underestimate the symptoms of senility.

According to the neurologist, in addition to the early detection of dementia symptoms, it is also necessary to keep the elderly away from risk factors.

"Manage risk factors that will affect development of the disease through ways, such as maximizing the brain function and getting sufficient rest of six to eight hours a day, as lack of sleep will worsen senility," she expounded.

Mariva drew attention to early warning signs of dementia in the elderly, such as often forgetting new information, difficulty in doing daily activities, difficulty in speaking, quick mood and behavioral changes, and difficulty in thinking.

"Disorientation of time and place, often getting lost in their own environment, misplacing things, declining ability to assess, personality changes, and loss of initiative," she noted.

The neurologist noted that dementia was divided into three stages, and it takes five to seven years for a person to experience the stage of heavy dementia.

"There are three stages that take five to seven years until the final stage. Hence, it would be nice to try to prevent (dementia) by leading a healthy lifestyle rather than treating," she noted//ANT

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Tjahjo Kumolo. (ANTARA/HO-PR of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry) - 

Civil servants do not meet the criteria for receiving social assistance because they receive a steady income from the government, Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister (Menpan RB) Tjahjo Kumolo has said.

"Therefore, civil servants do not meet the criteria of social assistance (beneficiaries)," he said in a written statement received here on Saturday.

He made the statement in response to Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini disclosing data showing that 31,624 state civil servants have received government assistance.

Speaking on the sanctions that the civil servants will face, he said a more in-depth investigation is needed to find out whether or not they intentionally committed fraud or abused their authority to include themselves as social assistance recipients.

If it is proved that the civil servants committed fraudulent acts, then they can be given disciplinary punishment, in accordance with Government Regulation Number 94 of 2021 concerning Discipline of Civil Servants, he added.

In addition, he said, it is necessary for regional governments or related parties to review the mechanism for determining data on social assistance recipients so that those who are truly eligible to become assistance beneficiaries can be validated and verified.

Based on Presidential Regulation Number 63 of 2017 concerning the Distribution of Cashless Social Assistance, recipients of social assistance must be persons, families, groups, or poor communities who are poor or vulnerable to social risks, he pointed out.

Earlier, Minister Rismaharini had revealed that around 31 thousand civil servants (ASN) were indicated to have received social assistance from the Social Affairs Ministry under the Family Hope Recipient Program (PKH) and Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT).

As many as 28,965 people out of the total 31,624 recipients were active civil servants, while the rest were retirees who did not fall in the group eligible for receiving social assistance, she said//ANT

Police officers check the vaccination status of visitors during a patrol at a Christmas market in Vienna on Nov 19, 2021. (File photo: AP/Lisa Leutner) - 

Thousands of protesters were expected to gather in Vienna on Saturday (Nov 20) after the Austrian government announced a nationwide lockdown to contain the quickly rising COVID-19 infection numbers in the country.

The far-right opposition Freedom Party is among those who have called for the protest, and vowed to combat the new restrictions.

Demonstrations against virus measures are also expected in other European countries including Switzerland, Croatia and Italy.

On Friday night, Dutch police opened fire on protesters, and seven people were injured in rioting that erupted in downtown Rotterdam around a demonstration against COVID-19 restrictions.

The Austrian lockdown will start early on Monday and initially will last for 10 days, and will then be reevaluated. At the most, it will last 20 days.

Most stores will close, and cultural events will be cancelled. People will be able to leave their homes only for certain specific reasons, including buying groceries, going to the doctor or exercising.

The Austrian government also said that the country will make vaccinations mandatory from Feb 1 next year.

Vaccinations in Austria have plateaued at one of the lowest rates in Western Europe, and hospitals in heavily hit states have warned that their intensive care units are reaching capacity. Average daily deaths have tripled in recent weeks.

About 66 per cent of Austria’s 8.9 million people are fully vaccinated, according to government figures.

Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg apologised to all vaccinated people on Friday night saying it wasn't fair that they had to suffer under the renewed lockdown restrictions when they had done everything to help contain the virus.

“I’m sorry to take this drastic step,” he said on public broadcaster ORF.

Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl, who announced earlier this week that he had tested positive for COVID-19, referred to the measures as “dictatorship”. Kickl must self-isolate for 14 days, so he won’t be able to attend the Vienna protest//CNA