Discrimination against working women rampant<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Discrimination against women remains rampant in
\nmany workplaces despite Indonesia adopting the Convention of the
\nElimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1984,
\na scholar said Saturday.<\/p>\n
Saparinah Sadli, head of the Women's Studies Program at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia's Post Graduate School, said it was
\ninteresting that discrimination is commonplace although the laws
\non employment are, in fact, protective of women workers.<\/p>\n
\"Findings in the field confirm that discrimination against
\nwomen is still rampant, even in companies of 'good
\nreputation'...,\" Saparinah told The Jakarta Post on Saturday
\nabout research conducted by her school in a shoe factory in
\nTangerang, West Java last year.<\/p>\n
\"In the factory, female job seekers are required to have
\ncertain skills and a high degree of accuracy while male job
\nseekers are considered qualified if they are physically strong,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, some companies treat women workers as \"unmarried\"
\nto deny them and their children social security benefits, she
\nadded.<\/p>\n
\"This disadvantages women because it makes it difficult for
\nthem to obtain paid maternal leave or other facilities,\"
\nSaparinah said, adding that the government should change this
\ncondition.<\/p>\n
Bomer Pasaribu, chief of the All-Indonesia Workers Union --
\nthe only labor union recognized by the government -- admitted the
\nrampant inequality faced by many working women.<\/p>\n
Bomer said female workers are usually paid less than male
\nworkers of a similar grade.<\/p>\n
\"Despite the increase in women's participation in the public
\nsector, it's true that discrimination against women is still
\nrife,\" Bomer, who is also a legislator, told the Post.<\/p>\n
Certain sectors, such as textiles, food, cigarettes, wood and
\nelectronics companies prefer to employ women because they are
\ncheaper and less demanding than men, he said.<\/p>\n
He said that in 1994 women in rural areas were paid 53.4
\npercent less than men while in urban areas they received 61.2
\npercent less than their male counterparts.<\/p>\n
Prominent legislator Aisyah Amini said that women workers are
\ngenerally not aware of their rights which are guaranteed by laws.<\/p>\n
\"But, even if they are aware, they would not dare to stand up
\nfor their rights because they fear they would be dismissed,\"
\nAisyah told the Post.<\/p>\n
According to Saparinah, the majority of workers in urban
\ncenters come from rural areas and are not aware of their rights
\nand know nothing about laws.<\/p>\n
\"They dare not question their rights. They are afraid of being
\ndismissed any time,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Saparinah urged all companies to encourage their workers to
\nestablish a workers union to defend their rights.<\/p>\n
According to union data last year, about 16 million, or 42
\npercent of Indonesian paid workers, are women. Most of them work
\nin the manufacturing sector.(31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/discrimination-against-working-women-rampant-1447893297",
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