UI women's studies marks anniversary

A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"Why did you choose this program?" is a question -- often asked with a strange tone -- male students of the post-graduate Women's Studies Program at the University of Indonesia (UI) frequently face when they meet new people.

The response often varies, from personal reasons in a sentence or two to a detailed scientific argument with a long and sometimes exhausting explanation.

Probably, the question is a normal one to expect, since very few men appear to be interested in the program, a fact that was revealed during the 15th anniversary of the Women's Studies program.

To date, of the program's 165 graduates, only 15 are male students. Of last year's graduates, only one -- a student from Timor Leste -- was male.

Officiating the anniversary event at the Graha Wisata in Kuningan, South Jakarta, State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia Farida Hatta Swasono urged the program to produce more male graduates.

"More than 90 percent of officials in government ministries are men. In line with the government's gender equality program, we need more gender-responsive men and women," Meutia said.

During the ceremony, Meutia and UI rector Usman Chatib Warsa signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing research cooperation between the Office of the State Minister for Women's Empowerment and the university's Women's Studies program.

However, sometimes the aforementioned question is not only fielded by male students, but also women students -- some people may question the "importance" of the Women's Studies program.

Professor Saparinah Sadli once revealed that she and other co- founders of the program were tireless in their efforts 15 years ago to convince the UI rector, Sujudi, the importance of establishing a post-graduate women's studies program.

With the support of Prof. Marilyn Potter from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, UI was finally able to set up the program, which is located in the corner of the fourth floor of the former rector's building on Jl. Salemba, Central Jakarta.

While there are many women's studies centers in universities across the country, only UI offers a Master's degree upon completion.

Hasanuddin University of Makassar, South Sulawesi, introduced a similar program three years ago, but it reportedly closed last year due to a lack of student interest.

The "unpopularity" of the program among students has some basis in the local culture, particularly an early perception about women's studies as a course that discusses feminism and gender -- considered to be "strange" terms from Western culture.

Among academicians, the program's validity was also questioned because its unclear roots in the "tree of science". Was it based on sociology, psychology or what?

As time goes by, people have come to understand more about the program and to become familiar with terms such as feminism, gender, domestic violence and reproductive rights, thanks to the program's lecturers who, along with professional women activists, had participated in many women's rights campaigns.

Furthermore, scientists have begun to understand that women's studies is a multi-disciplinary program and as such, requires a background in sociology, psychology and political science as well feminist theories.

During the anniversary event, students and alumni -- who work today in a variety of occupations, including civil service, education, non-governmental organizations and journalism, joined a three-day capacity building program to discuss theory development and strategy to expand upon programs and influence policy.

Supported by the Ford Foundation, the UI Women's Studies program has also launched three books: Perjalanan Lima Belas Tahun Program Kajian Wanita (Fifteen-Year Journey of the Women Studies Program), Penguatan Psikologis untuk Menaggulangi Kekerasan dalam Rumah Tangga dan Kekerasan Seksual (Psychological empowerment to overcome domestic and sexual violence) and Komik Pendidikan Kesehatan Reproduksi (Educational Comic on Reproductive Health).

The program has been highly productive in releasing publications and establishing cooperation with foreign universities, but to increase its "popularity", it may need to place more emphasis in marketing and advertising.

As Women's Studies co-founder Prof. Farid Anfasa Moeloek said, the program could be developed further, not just as a Master's program, but also as a doctorate program to keep pace with like programs in universities abroad.