New Ruling Accords Balinese Women Rights to Inheritance

Made Arya Kencana | December 15, 2010
Hindu Balinese women will only be entitled to half of what male heirs receive. (AFP Photo) Hindu Balinese women will only be entitled to half of what male heirs receive. (AFP Photo)

Denpasar. The century-old patriarchal traditions that govern Balinese family life were on Wednesday amended to finally grant women the right to inherit assets from their parents.

The High Council of Customary Villages (MUDP), the highest authority on Balinese traditional regulations, issued the ruling.

“This is a significant development in the 110 years [since traditional values were formally regulated] during which Balinese women were not entitled to a single rupiah of inheritance,” said Wayan Windia, head of research and development at the council.

However, Windia said the ruling would apply only to married Hindu Balinese women who had not converted to another faith.

“In such cases, the parents can still provide for their daughters at their own discretion,” he said.

Women will only be entitled to half of what male heirs receive.

The new ruling also strips men of automatic custody of children or conjugal assets in the event of a divorce.

Women will now be allowed to keep the children until a certain age, which would be determined during divorce proceedings.

Men will also be obliged to give their ex-wives money for child support.

Additionally, conjugal assets would now be divided equally.

Windia said the challenge now was to introduce the new ruling to the 1,471 customary villages across Bali that abide by the island’s traditional regulations.

“Our hope is that because these changes were made by the MUDP, the highest authority, the people will accept them without objection,” he said.

“But it won’t be easy or quick, because there’s bound to be some opposition.”

Ni Nyoman Nilawati, a women’s rights activist with the Hindu Dharma Women’s Association (WHDI), said the changes marked major progress toward gender equity in Balinese society.

“For more than a century now, women have been deprived of their rightful inheritance because of the patrilinear system in place here,” she said.

She attributed the progress to the greater role women now play in responding to social issues.

“Seven women now serve on the MUDP, whereas before they were prohibited from doing so,” Nilawati said.

Ni Luh Putu Anggreni, from the Mitra Kasih nongovernmental organization, said she hoped the changes would help stop domestic violence against women.

She said most women put up with the harsh treatment because they could lose their children and property through divorce.

Anggreni said she hoped divorce court judges would immediately adopt the ruling.