VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A screenshot of deputy for inter-institutional relations, socialization, communication, and networking for the Pancasila Ideology Education Agency, Prakoso, at the 'Preparation of Gender Archives as Memory of the World' webinar on Friday (October 15, 2021). (ANTARA/Putu Indah Savitri/uyu) - 

Indonesia’s founders had anticipated the issue of gender equality long before the nation’s independence, deputy for inter-institutional relations, socialization, communication, and networking for the Pancasila Ideology Education Agency (BPIP), Prakoso, has said.

"Gender equality had been manifested by the establishment of Kartini Schools (Sekolah Kartini) to promote equality between women and men," he remarked in his keynote speech at a seminar entitled ‘Preparation of Gender Archives as Memory of the World’, which was broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the National Archives of Indonesia on Friday.

Besides Kartini, there were also other female figures who played significant roles in the history of the nation's struggle, the deputy said.

He then cited the examples of Dewi Sartika who pioneered the education of women, Cut Nyak Dien, who led the fight against the Dutch amid the Aceh War, and Queen Shima, who became the ruler of Kalingga Kingdom after her husband died.

"Moreover, there were two female members of the Committee for Indonesian Independence Preparations (BPUPKI): Maria Ulfah and Siti Sukaptinah," Prakoso added.

At the BPUPKI meeting, Ulfah proposed that the Constitution of Indonesia include basic rights, including equal rights for women and men, he said.

The second and fifth principles of Indonesia's Pancasila ideology accommodate her proposal, as the second principle envisages a "just and civilized humanity", while the fifth one defines "social justice for all Indonesian people", he added.

Currently, Indonesia has implemented the principle of gender equality by providing equal political opportunities to women so they can become leaders without any gender discrimination, the deputy said.

"One of our former presidents is a woman," he noted.

In addition, the current chancellor of Bandung Institute of Technology; chancellor of Padjadjaran University; head of Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency; and the Indonesian Finance Minister are women, he pointed out

Hence, Prakoso said he hoped that the archives of Kartini’s struggle and the archives of the First Indonesian Women's Congress can be listed as Memory of the World by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

"The archives will show the world that Indonesia is one of the countries whose establishment was initiated by the issue of gender equality," he added//ANT

A view of Lake Sentani from Tungku Wiri Hill, Doyo Lama village, Waibhu district, Jayapura, Papua on Friday (October 15, 2021). (ANTARA/Andi Firdaus/KT) - 

Many tourists headed to Tungku Wiri Hill at Doyo Lama village, Waibhu district, Jayapura, on the closing night of Papua PON on Friday to take in the scenic views of Lake Sentani.

"I was present at the PON Papua's opening by the President at Lukas Enembe Stadium. But because I have to go home tomorrow, I chose this hill to be my last destination in Papua," Retno Dwiyanti (41), who came to support the DKI Jakarta contingent, told Antara in Jayapura.

Tungku Wiri is referred to by tourists as the "Teletubbies hill" because from afar it looks like the place where the characters of the television series live.

A resident of Tanah Hitam, Jayapura city, Dinda Rahma (17) said that access to the top of Tungku Wiri Hill has been fixed. Even at the hill's highest point, some pavings have been installed, she added.

"At the beginning of 2021, it was only the ground. It was too slippery to climb on, and (I was) scared of (the risk of) falling. But now it is very good and not slippery anymore," Rahma said.

Travelers chose to climb to the top of the hill on Friday to soak in the views of Lake Sentani at dusk, although they had to climb no less than 130 steps.

Many tourists took the opportunity to snap pictures, resting occasionally.

Tungku Wiri Hill is located about thirty minutes to the west of Lukas Enembe Stadium. Due to the relatively long distance, from the top of the hill, the magnificent sports building is concealed and covered by green hills.

"At the opening of PON, only fireworks enlightened the night. Hopefully, tonight's closure will have fireworks as well," Rahma expressed.

On Friday night, visitors to Tungku Wiri Hill were not many, numbering only about a dozen.

This was because the lighting installation at the top of the hill was closed by the manager. Plus, one of the lighting poles seemed damaged.

"Crowds usually happened in the morning and early afternoon. It could be up to hundreds of people who came. During this PON, the number can double," Tungku Wiri Hill parking manager, Jimmy Irew, informed//ANT

Soldiers in Haiti guard the Public Prosecutor's office as Martine Moise is interviewed as a witness by the judge investigating the assassination of her husband, president Jovenel Moise - 

The United Nations Security Council extended the UN mission in Haiti by nine months on Friday (Oct 15) after an 11th-hour compromise was struck between western powers and China.

The council passed a resolution extending the mandate by less than the one-year that the United States had sought but more than the six months Beijing wanted.

The proposal was passed unanimously by 15 votes to zero.

The vote came shortly after 6:00pm (2200 GMT), just hours before the political mission was due to expire, extending it to Jul 15, 2022.

Haiti is currently in the grip of a deep political, economic, social and security crisis.

It has not had a sitting parliament for more than a year and a half amid disputes, with the country put under one-man rule by president Jovenel Moise, who was assassinated in July.

Beijing had signaled it would veto a US draft extending the mandate by a year.

China had drafted its own text proposing a six-month extension before Friday's latest iteration was agreed.

In the end, they agreed on nine months with a provision that the Secretary General would conduct an assessment after six months.

"BINUH" was established in October 2019 following the end of 15 years of UN peacekeeping operations and has been a frequent source of contention between Washington and Beijing.

Its mandate includes strengthening political stability and good governance.

China has frequently said that there should be no external solutions to Haiti's problems but UN diplomats say it wants to punish Haiti for its recognition of Taiwan.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council accepted that Haiti's elections will be delayed until the second half of 2022.

The United States, the most influential foreign player in Haiti, had earlier pushed for elections to go ahead this year to restore democratic legitimacy amid a power vacuum.

Haiti's troubles, including a devastating earthquake, have led tens of thousands to flee, with images of horseback US border guards roughly rounding up Haitians generating outrage in the United States//CNA

FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Barack Obama looks on during a drive-in campaign rally on behalf of Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden in Miami, Florida, U.S., November 2, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello - 

Former US President Barack Obama will travel to Glasgow, Scotland in November to attend the COP26 climate summit where he will meet with youth activists and address the threat of climate change, his spokesperson said on Friday (Oct 15).

"He will lay out the important progress made in the five years since the Paris Agreement took effect, highlight the leadership of young people around the globe, and urge more robust action going forward by all of us - governments, the private sector, philanthropy, and civil society," said Hannah Hankins, spokesperson for the 44th US president.

News of Obama's presence in Glasgow comes as President Joe Biden aims to drum up momentum ahead of the Oct 31 to Nov 12 summit. Biden confirmed on Thursday that he will attend the opening of the summit after participating in the Group of 20 leaders summit in Rome.

The White House said it will bring 13 high-level officials and cabinet members to the gathering on Thursday, demonstrating its "all of government" approach to tackling climate change.

Since rejoining the Paris climate agreement when Biden took office in January, the administration set a goal to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52 per cent over this decade.

But the president is at risk to arriving in Glasgow without much progress to show. A lot rides on whether the US Congress will pass key infrastructure and budget bills that would set clean power and transportation goals and unleash trillions in spending.

US Congress members from Biden's Democratic party have been negotiating about the bills, with some opposed to the price tag and climate measures. Biden needs solid Democratic support because the measures are opposed by Republican lawmakers.

Energy Innovation, a California based research group, said these bills, if combined with state policies and executive action, could set the United States on a path to achieve its 2030 target.

Obama, during his first term as president in 2009, traveled to Copenhagen where he helped directly intervened in climate summit negotiations with other world leaders that resulted in a an agreement that for the first time called emission pledges by all major economies, not just industrialized nations//CNA