Musicians and Comics Unite to End Violence against Women and Girls

Jakarta, 10 Desember 2022 – This Saturday, renowned comics and musicians united to voice support for the elimination of gender-based violence in Indonesia. The performance was the culmination of the "UNiTE" event held at M Bloc Space, Jakarta, and marked the last day of the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women.

The "UNiTE" event was organized by the French Embassy, Institut Français Indonesia, and the United Nations Agencies in Indonesia - UNDP, UNFPA, UN Information Centre, UN Women and WHO, in collaboration with Komnas Perempuan and Jakarta Feminist. Today's art and music festival aims to mobilize public support, especially young people to speak out against gender-based violence.

"Violence against women cannot be tolerated under any circumstances," said UN Resident Coordinator for Indonesia Valerie Julliand. "We work with governments and civil society organizations to combat gender-based violence, change behaviors, and at the same time support victims and survivors."

Women in Indonesia, like in many other countries, face high levels of violence. According to a report by Komnas Perempuan, 338,496 cases of violence against women were recorded during 2021, about a 50 percent increase in cases reported in 2020, a higher number than in 2019, where 302,686 cases were reported. For every case reported, many remain hidden due to stigma, shame, and fear of the perpetrator.

Komnas Perempuan's Annual Report 2022 noted that in the last five years the forms of violence experienced by women: 36% were psychological violence, 33% sexual violence, 18% physical violence and 13% economic violence. "From these numbers we can see the magnitude of psychological violence in each year," said Komnas Perempuan Commissioner Mariana Amiruddin. "But in Indonesia, psychological violence assistance still lacks experts and resources. This is one of the reasons victims do not want to talk or report the violence they experience, due to their mental state."

The "UNiTE" event featured performances from musicians hara, The Dare, and Yacko. Comedy for Equality, a stand-up comedy showcase for gender equality, featured performances from six Indonesian comics mentored by multi-awarded comedian Sakdiyah Ma'ruf. The Comedy for Equality initiative, started last year by the United Nations (UN) in Indonesia, provided an opportunity for 20 comics to participate in a stand-up comedy workshop led by Sakdiyah Ma'ruf. She helped each comedian perform comedy that supports gender equality, changes misogynistic stereotypes, and supports the 16 Days of Violence Against Women global campaign.

"Comedy may not change behavior directly, but it can drive change by opening up discussion on sensitive topics and helping to fight stigma and stereotypes," said Sakdiyah Ma'ruf. "The Comedy for Equality initiative provides a safe space for women and men to speak out, including on the issue of violence against women."

"A work, including music, is also a medium of knowledge. Consciously or unconsciously, music is also present in the community to convey messages, values, feelings, as well as the partisanship of musicians and the community about something. Music is one of the important mediums to convey the large number of violence against women, the importance of eliminating violence against women, as well as the importance of building empathy, solidarity and collectivity to fight violence. The presence of music that is always tied to a space - such as a concert - also provides an opportunity to gather with more people and strengthen each other in togetherness," said Rara Sekar.

"The education and power of victims who speak up and share their stories, as we saw in the #MeToo movement, has a greater impact on society than national policies. This is why we are proud to partner with Sakdiyah, and six other female comics, as well as Rara Sekar (hara), the Dare, and Yacko. By speaking out about gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence, they are powerful actors for social change," said Stephane Dovert, Director of the IFI and Cooperation Counselor of the French Embassy in Indonesia.

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