A recent decree on polygamy for male civil servants in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, has sparked renewed controversy. However, critics have called for a complete ban on polygamy. Because they think it is discriminatory and harmful to women.
On Tuesday, the British press Independent reported that the temporary governor of Jakarta, Teguh Setiabudi, issued a rule on January 6. It reinterpreted and tightened the conditions for polygamy under the country's 1974 Marriage Act.
According to the new decree—if the first wife of a male government employee is physically unable to perform marital duties, a medical certificate must be produced. If the first wife is unable to give birth after 10 years of married life, then her infertility must be proved.
Apart from this, not only the permission of the first wife, but also the approval of the court for another marriage.
The Jakarta Employment Agency cited the decree as an effort to reduce the city's high divorce rate. This organization oversees the affairs of government employees.
Meanwhile, the decree has been sharply criticized by human rights groups and gender equality campaigners. Such rules, they believe, reinforce patriarchal societies, undermine women's rights and condone violence against them.
Amnesty International Indonesia condemned the decree as a violation of international human rights treaties. The organization's executive director Usman Hamid said, 'Polygamy is a form of discrimination against women. Because it creates inequality in the marital relationship.'
Usman called for the amendment of existing laws to protect the rights of women and demanded a complete ban on polygamy.
Indonesia's National Women's Commission (Komnas Perempuan) has described polygamy as a reflection of patriarchal values. They said, 'These conditions keep women in a subordinate position and make them solely responsible for household responsibilities.'
Commons Perempuan also reports that polygamy often exposes women to emotional neglect, a common form of domestic violence.
Public policy analyst Ahmad Noor Hidayat said that there is a misconception about this decree among the people. He said, 'This decree is not intended to encourage polygamy, but to make its process more difficult.'
“In many cases, second or third marriages are not registered with the authorities, putting women and their children in such marriages at risk,” said Siti Aminah Tardi, commissioner of the country's National Commission for Women.
Critics say the decree fails to address the underlying problems of polygamy and could exacerbate existing gender inequality.
