Kartini 'power' still matters

Kartini 'power' still matters

Those living long enough in Indonesia may know that the month of April has a special significance for women here. This is related to April 21, the birthday of Kartini, a lady who spearheaded women's advancement, especially in the field of education. It is no exaggeration to say that this date marked the beginning of Kartini "power", or the clamor for women's emancipation or liberation, if you like.

Kartini magazine in commemorating Kartini Day recently devoted almost all its pages to successes women never dreamed of back in Kartini's day. Such successes range from the first female president, Megawati Soekarnoputri, to women pilots and entrepreneurs like Marta Tilaar and Ibu Sudibyo and many others, as well as women doctors, judges and sports champions. But beauty is not neglected by today's Indonesian women as can be seen from the magazine.

In spite of the rapid strides made by women in this country, Kartini might well drop one or two tears if she could examine the plight of Indonesian women workers today in foreign countries, workers who deserve better treatment and less humiliation. Girls today are free to attend schools wherever they like and if their parents can afford it, although the national standard of general education still leaves a lot to be desired. The fate of female workers at home gives more grounds for distress than for jubilation, such as the end that befell Marsinah, who revolted against the working conditions in her factory and was found murdered, as the film of that name shows.

Yet, the Kartini "power" unleashed from the Central Java town of Japara so long ago has been reverberating ever since and will continue to do so as long as there are women in Indonesia.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta