Komnas Perempuan Examines Harmful Practices Affecting Women in East Sumba

Waingapu, East Sumba, 30 June 2026 – The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) convened a follow-up discussion forum to examine the persistence of servitude practices in Sumba. The forum brought together religious leaders, academics, and civil society organizations to share firsthand perspectives on the unequal power relations between the maramba and ata social groups and their impact on women.

During the discussion, participants shared their experiences and observations of how the ata–maramba relationship shapes social, economic, and family relations. Sumba's traditional social hierarchy continues to place the maramba in a higher social position than the ata. Representatives of the ata community identified education as a key pathway to social change, emphasizing the importance of ensuring equal access to education for members of the ata group. Participants also highlighted the role of education and awareness-raising in empowering maramba women to become agents of change. They further emphasized the importance of faith-based initiatives in promoting justice and encouraging churches to take a stronger stance against discriminatory practices.

The discussion also highlighted how ideological, cultural, and economic factors reinforce unequal power relations between the ata and maramba. These inequalities create overlapping forms of vulnerability for ata women, including limited access to education, reproductive healthcare, and legal protection. Participants also examined how interpretations of religious texts, oral traditions, and cultural symbols can be used to justify and perpetuate these inequalities. Churches and government institutions were identified as key actors in addressing these practices, particularly by ensuring equal access to education and opportunities for skills development for all children.

Komnas Perempuan Commissioner Sondang Frishka Simanjuntak emphasized that unequal power relations between the ata and maramba expose women to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence, including physical, psychological, and sexual violence, while also restricting their access to education and protection services. She stressed the importance of human rights-based and gender-responsive governance, supported by stronger regulatory frameworks, improved institutional coordination, access to justice, survivor support services, and effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms. These measures are particularly relevant to the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), including efforts to strengthen evidence collection and documentation of harmful practices affecting women that have become normalized through cultural and religious traditions.

The forum formed part of Komnas Perempuan's ongoing monitoring of the State's compliance with its obligations to eliminate discrimination and violence against women. Komnas Perempuan was represented by Commissioner Sondang Frishka Simanjuntak and staff members from the International Advocacy Division.