Contending that the Women's Reservation Bill in its present form will benefit only those from affluent sections, Dalit and Muslim bodies demanded a sub-quota for women from weaker sections to ensure fair representation.

According to the United Nations, women are estimated to do 75 per cent of the world's work. And yet, they only own one per cent of the world's assets. In Malaysia, women only represent 10 per cent of the members of parliament, even though they make up half the population. In our schools, universities and other learning establishments, girls outperform boys. Universities have more girls reading technological, scientific and engineering courses. The boys tend to opt for subjects like media, religious studies and business. Although women constitute a large student movement and a formidable workforce, they are still poorly represented in the decision-making process. This includes personal, family, community and national levels.

As the country prepares to elect its new president next week, Indonesian activists are trying to push gender issues onto the political agenda. Three candidates will contest the presidential election on Jul. 8. The incumbent, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, is a strong favourite to win, but neither Yudhoyono nor his challengers - current Vice President Jusuf Kalla and former president Megawati Sukarnoputri - have presented a platform for dealing with women-specific problems.