POLITICAL COMMUNICATION OF WOMEN\u27S ACEH LEGISLATORS (Opportunities and Challenges of Women in Aceh in the Public Sphere)

The lack of representation of women in Aceh parliament, indicates that women were left behind in every decision-making related to the development of the Aceh region. Though women are the largest group in this area. This paper intends to examine the political communication of women legislative members in Aceh by focusing on: opportunities and challenges for Acehnese women in the public sphere. This study uses qualitative research methods with a case study approach. The results of the study show that with the legalization of the Law no. 12, 2003 on the Public Election and Law on the Aceh Government no. 11, 2006, women engagement in public sphere as the legislative members becomes possible. The challenges for Acehnese women to be present in the public sphere as members of the legislature are: stereotyping of women involved in politics, patriarchal culture that is still thick, women\u27s political communication competence is low, thus raising doubts for voters, awareness of women to be present in public sphare that minimal, low voter trust in women legislative candidates, concerns about the ability of women legislative candidates to divide their time between private and public sphare, interpretations of religion that are understood to differ in the community and commitment and sincere intentions of political parties in providing assistance to women legislative candidates . It is hoped that women should increase the competence of themselves in political communication and give the understanding to the community about the importance of women\u27s presence in the Aceh parliament