Career women reminded of their domestic duties

Career women reminded of their domestic duties

JAKARTA (JP): With the trend toward families having a second
income earner, Vice President Try Sutrisno reminded career women
yesterday that they should not abandon their domestic duties.

Try also appealed to families and employers to give support
and show understanding for the needs of working women.

"Working women should not forget their destiny of being a
mother in a household," he said opening a national discussion
meeting on the health and productivity of working women.

"Women should aim to strike a balance between the two facets
of their lives," he said.

No employer wants to see his women employees neglecting their
duties because of household problems. But no employer wants to
see the family lives of his women employees destroyed by their
careers either, Try said.

"So, in the final analysis, it is women's attitudes, will and
capabilities that will determine whether or not they find peace
by working as well as leading a family life."

Minister of Health Sujudi in his introductory speech said more
than 37 million women, nearly half the number of working-age
women in Indonesia, are working. This is an increase in both
absolute and relative terms. In 1988, 16.9 million, or 33 percent
of working-age women, worked.

Sujudi said health is the main problem facing many women
workers.

About 30 percent of all working women suffer from anemia
caused by malnutrition, he said, adding that anemia lead to
losses in productivity by as much as 20 percent.

Try said career women count on the moral support and
understanding of their families.

But working women should realize that the "quality of their
service" in domestic chores was bound to be lower than if they
were not working, he said.

Try said considering the expanding role of women in national
development, the nation should allow women to realize their full
potential, optimizing the strengths they have over their male
counterparts, and eliminating their weaknesses.

He cited diligence, tenacity, patience and perseverance among
the strengths that women have over men. Women's weaknesses are
related to their biological and psychological structures, he
said.

The Vice President also launched the Movement for Healthy and
Productive Women Workers. Details of the campaign were not
immediately available yesterday. (emb)