Press Release on Krjoja 11 May 2019 with English Translation

Prof. Dr. Livia Holden leads Gender Sensitisation for Judicial Education in Pakistan and Indonesia, a project funded by Global Challenges Research Funds, UK. Research partnership in Indonesia: Prof. Dr. Euis Nurlaelawati and Dr. Witriani (University of UIN Sunan Kalijaga). 

PSW Collaboration UIN Sunan Kalijaga - CSLS University Oxford Produce Book on Cultural Expertise for Gender Just Sentencing at Indonesian Islamic Courts: Best Practices ’

Press release on Krjoja the 11th May 2019 (English Translation as below)

The Center for Gender Mainstreaming and the Rights of the Child (P2GHA) or PSW of the State Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Livia Holden (University of Oxford) funded by Global Challenges Research Funds (GCRF) launched a book entitled "Cultural Expertise for Gender Just Sentencing at Indonesian Islamic Courts: Best Practices." This book is a product of a collaborative project in Indonesia and Pakistan about 'Gender Sensitization for Judicial Education' which is fully funded by GCRF where Prof. Dr. Livia Holden acts as a project leader in partnership with Prof. Dr. Euis Nurlaelawati, MA, lFaculty of Sharia and Law, Sunan Kalijaga UIN and PSW / P2GHA UIN Sunan Kalijaga.

This project uses the concept of cultural expertise to foster awareness about the possible combination of cultural principles and gender justice at Islamic Courts in Indonesia. It aims to increase the involvement of Islamic Court judges for promoting gender just sentencing at the local level, in accordance with the principles of international human rights. Judges from various regions in Indonesia such as Yogyakarta, East Java, Makassar, Jakarta, West Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra and South Sumatra collaborated with eight UIN Sunan Kalijga academics for a book launched on April 26, 2019 at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.

At the launch eight judges presented their respective essays. Cases were then discussed by Prof. Dr. Euis Nurlalelawati, who said that this collection of family law shows the compatibility of cultural rights with the extraordinary flexibility of the interpretation of Islamic law. Dr. Hamim Ilyas, MA, lecturer at the Syari'ah Faculty of UIN Sunan Kalijaga who acted as discussant, said that this book offers a new approach that open new paths for revisiting family law in Indonesia. Cultural expertise values local and universal cultural values ​​of justice, for a modern society that provides gender just decisions. Hamim further explained that the method of cultural expertise aknowledges the flexibility that has been developed by Indonesian various communities at the local level and can be further adapted and reformulated by social groups at an international level.

The back cover of the book include the enthusiastic endorsements by Dr. Drs H. Amran Suadi, S.H., M.Hum ,. M.M, Chair of the Indonesian Supreme Court Religious Chamber, Dr. Drs. Aco Nur, S.H., M.H, Director General of the Religious Courts and Dr. Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, M.A, Special Staff of the President of the Republic of Indonesia for Religious Affairs. Director General of Badilag and Chair of the Republic of Indonesia Chamber of Religion in particular, appreciates the partnership between Oxford University and UIN and encourages Prof. Livia Holden and Prof. Euis Nurlaelawati to visit all courts in Indonesia to continue the collaboration between judges and academics for better justice, and to further disseminate the concept of cultural expertise. 

The Chancellor of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Prof. Drs. KH. Yudian Wahyudi, MA., Ph.D., who presided the book launch said that this collaboration must continue to be developed in order to strike a balance between academia and society. This project, continued Yudian Wahyudi, provides a response to the needs of the university in order to have a broader impact on the community, by offering tangible solutions in the world of justice, especially those related to gender justice.

Prof. Dr. Livia Holden from CSLS - Oxford University, who also leads the same project in Pakistan, also expressed her highest appreciation both to Sunan Kalijaga UIN and all parties involved in this very positive collaboration. She stressed the importance of learning from judges who have knowledge and experience with conflict resolution. She said that this book shows the ability of judges at Islamic Courts in Indonesia to use cultural expertise as an instrument for reformulating cultural principles that can promote women's rights in line with international women’s rights. This is why this book actually benefits both the academic and the judicial sectors.

In her speech, Director of P2GHA / PSW, Dr. Witriani, M.Hum expressed her highest appreciation to all parties for the realization of this book. The collaboration with the Islamic Courts has started at PSW about twenty years afo. However, this time it went further by actually involving Islamic Courts’ Judges in order to formulate best practices for gender just sentencing. The eight Judges are M. Nur, S. Ag (Judicial Judge of the Supreme Court, RI), Dr. Muhammad Najmi Fajri SHI, MHI (PA Singguminasa, Makassar), Nur Lailah Ahmad, SH (PA Wates), Ummu Hafidzah, SHI, M. Hum (PA Madura), Latifah SH, M. Hum (PA Bantul), Muhammad Isna Wahyudi, SHI, MSI (PA Bima), Dr. M. Fauzan, M. A. (PA Solok, West Sumatra), Dr. Zaenal Fanani, SHI, MSI and (PA Kota Madiun). while the co-writers are Prof. Dr. Euis Nurlaelawati, M.A., Dr. Witriani, M. Hum., Dr. Waryono, M.Ag, Dr. Mochamad Sodik, M.SI., Dr. Inayah Rohmaniyah, M. Hum, M.A., Alimatul Qibtiyah, M.Sc, M.A, Ph.D and Zusiana Elly Triantini, M.SI.

Gender justice must be voiced. What is done by the Judges through this best practices volume is upholding justice and equality. All parties hope that this book will be useful and contribute positively for developing a new vision that fosters a gender just society concluded Zusiana Elly Triantini, M.SI, PSW Secretary, who was the moderator of the book launch.