Gender inequities await polytechnic graduates<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Many women graduating from Polytechnic Indonesia
\nhave risen up the career ladder in accordance with their academic
\nqualifications. That's the good news. The bad news is that most
\nwill not reach the top rung.<\/p>\n
Saparinah Sadli, the noted psychology professor and staff
\nlecturer of Women's Studies at the University of Indonesia,
\nattributes this to gender discrimination.<\/p>\n
Sadli said at a university seminar on Saturday that a study of
\n50 women that graduated from the polytechnic since 1985 shows
\nthat 45.16 percent of them work as assistant managers -- the
\nhighest position available for such graduates.<\/p>\n
In terms of career development, women with the same degrees as
\nmen have not been treated too much differently in the early
\nstages.<\/p>\n
But discrimination occurs when it comes to \"access\" and
\n\"placement,\" she said. Most female polytechnic graduates end up
\ndoing desk work while their male counterparts are in the field
\ndoing work more appropriate to their educational backgrounds.<\/p>\n
The research was conducted by the female teaching staff at
\nPolytechnic Indonesia, an institution under the University of
\nIndonesia, with sponsorship from the Australian Agency for
\nInternational Aid.<\/p>\n
Sadli said that gender discrimination exists because
\nemployers, most of whom are men, still perceive women as
\nhaving a \"communal\" character better suited to serving others.<\/p>\n
Such stereotyping influences the way employers assign jobs to
\ntheir women employees, Sadli said.<\/p>\n
Yulfita Raharjo, head of the Research Center of Population and
\nEmployment of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said
\nthe women themselves are often trapped in unfair \"gender
\nideology\".<\/p>\n
Only a few women do field jobs because they feel they are not
\nsuitable for work often deemed as \"harsh\".<\/p>\n
The study also shows that more than 83 percent of the
\nrespondents work for personal fulfillment. Only four percent work
\nfor money.<\/p>\n
Many women do not consider money a top priority because
\nsociety considers men to be the breadwinners, Yulfita said.<\/p>\n
\"People believe that it is not appropriate for women to earn
\nbigger salaries than their husbands. The women themselves feel
\nuneasy if they earn more because they are afraid that the
\nhusbands will feel bad,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"As a matter of fact, many women are afraid of being
\nsuccessful,\" she pointed out.<\/p>\n
Few women are involved in the fields of science and technology
\nbecause the two are still widely considered to be the domain of
\nmen, Yulfita said.<\/p>\n
According to certain gender ideologies, men are rational and
\nwomen are emotional. \"Of course, we know that many men are
\nirrational and many women are rational. Ironically people believe
\nin the gender ideology,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Women have little opportunity to develop their careers also
\nbecause of society's belief that it is a woman's destiny to take
\ncare of the children and the household.<\/p>\n
\"This has nothing to do with destiny. This is social
\nengineering,\" she said.<\/p>\n
This also explains why only a few women have had the chance to
\ntake part in advanced training programs abroad, she added.(sim)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gender-inequities-await-polytechnic-graduates-1447893297",
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