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