Empowering women to build the nation

Empowering women to build the nation

From Suara Karya

The problems of women are social ones that must be solved by
both men and women in an attempt to ensure synergy in our
nationalism in the future. Women had a bigger challenge during
the New Order era. In facing international neocapitalism, they
were confronted by a fascist structure and culture at home. This
is something that male politicians, who have adopted the thinking
of the New Order, have failed to take into account. Ironically,
this tendency has prevailed until today.

Now that a year has elapsed since the collapse of the New
Order regime, the reform era has yet to show concrete attempts
which further lend significance to the role of women. The
impression is that women are still belittled. Worse still, the
ongoing monetary and economic crisis have made women the victims
of oppression.

The root cause is actually the patriarchal culture, which is
oppressive in nature. Only with a national awareness which allows
women to play a greater role can this nation be freed from the
present crisis and afterwards walk into a better future.

In the present reform era it is imperative that the gender
issue must be popularized in the pursuit of a prosperous, just
and democratic society. While today everything done by men is
always considered of greater importance and significance, it is
now time to take women's feelings into account. It is now time to
accord women the proportional place they deserve.

Anyway, it is a current demand that women should be given a
greater role in nation building. It is now time for women to come
to the forefront in an attempt to solve national problems toward
a better and more humane society.

RA BERAR FATHIA

Chairperson of the Indonesian National

Alliance of Women and Partnership

Bekasi, West Java