Reproductive and Sexual Rights In MDGs

MDGs report 2010 highlights the significant progress on goal 1,2,3,4 and 8. Goal 1, prevalence of malnutrition among babies has been claimed decreasing from 31% in 1989 to 18,4% in 2007. The level of participation in primary education has increased  up to 100% that contribute to decreasing illiteracy. In 2009 government recorded 99,47% people of Indonesia are literate. Regarding women and men participation in education (Goal 3), Indonesia is able to increase women participation in secondary school and higher education, which ratio women and men as 96,16% : 102,95%. This does not include the quality of education where women or men enrollment. In Indonesia tradition, this report may exclude the formal education where women are likely participating. 

Goal 4, though we decrease number of infant mortality rate, regarding Maternal Mortality Rate, yet the number is still higher. When in 1991 the MMR 390  from 100.000 births, in 2007 in every 100.000 birth, 228 mother die. In Lombok the root causes of MMR is because of women are late to take decision where she should delivery baby. Women as second class in patriarchal society likely given in decision regarding service of delivery baby to the hand of husband or parent  to take decision on behalf of her. In many cases, they prefer to use traditional midwife, in which specific cases of breech birth or infant entangled by umbilical cord are often unmanageable by the traditional midwife. It is often that when decision making to send mother to hospital is late, then Doctor cannot help. More

If we look at the achievement on MDGs, it is obvious that reproductive and sexual rights are partially addressed by MDGs. Service on information provision over reproductive and sexual health are still accessible for married people. Youth and single women are extremely difficult to get access over sexual and reproductive health and rights. Sexual minority such as lesbian groups are even worse. Even, there is still taboo to talk about reproductive organs and function in the school as part of subject of school. Some parents are still considered this as teaching pornography to children. We also still have big homework on extending infection of HIV/AIDS among heterosexual groups not only transmitted by needle but also by sexual intercourse from high risk husband to low risk wife. Rejection from schools towards children with HIV/AIDs or children with HIV positive parents are also obvious. Similarly, rejection of some ethnic and religious minority groups to get access of legal document of marriage are still high. Recently, some couple from Ahmadiyah follower in Tasikmalaya were rejected by office of religious affair (KUA) at district level because of their faith status. 

In all, sexual reproductive rights and health are not natural anymore. People belong to a certain status such as  being single, youth, with HIV, belonging to sexual, ethnic, and religious minorities are often excluded from the services. when minority groups are excluded from the process, I believe that this will effect to the achievement of MDGs and surely for Sustainable Development Goals post 2015. Therefore, there are two important interventions that government should pay attention; number one is promoting open-minded way of thinking among people to accept minority groups as part of society and consider sexual reproductive health and rights must disregard religions, faiths, ethnicity,  sexual orientations, genders, class, and age differences. Sexual reproductive health and rights must be accessible for everyone. last, government should strengthen monitoring and evaluation part of implementation of MDGs in all levels. Specifically, to put extra eyes to areas where belonging to ethnic and religious minority has been subjecting to discrimination and violence. It is also necessary to review all regulations which are bias to minority and male bias to sexual reproductive health and rights. The fact that KOMNAS perempuan reported on August 2012, there are 263 local law (Perda) are still discriminating against religious minority groups, should take serious consideration to review the implementation of MDGs whether the efforts to increase performance of MDGs is objective enough. *** 

Source of Photo: www.beritasatu.com

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