What needs to be done for equality

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Women have gained much compared to the days of their grandmothers or even mothers, but there is still a long way to go before women achieve true equality with men.

While the country can boast its first woman president (a fact now readily cited in attempts to play down concerns about gender equality), there is no room for complacency.

Discrimination still persists, sexually based stereotypes pervade and the glass ceiling continues to keep women in clerical or "traditional" positions in some firms.

Although it takes on different definitions for individuals, for most women gender equality spells being given the same opportunities as their menfolk in education and the workplace, and protection of their rights. Increasingly for younger women, it also means sharing household and parental duties.

In commemoration of Kartini Day, we talked to prominent women in a variety of fields to find out what it means to be an emancipated woman today.

Prof. Miriam Budiardjo, political scientist:

Well, there is too much discrimination, too much to be mentioned. Discrimination previously was in the form of male domination, however, the scale is decreasing now. The decline is mainly because of the continuous struggle by women themselves. Many non-governmental organizations and women's rights advocates have launched campaigns to attain gender equality.

I myself don't specifically campaign for gender equality. But in my activities, I always wave the flag of women.

Supeni, chairwoman of the Indonesian National Party (PNI):

The women's struggle is for equality in status and treatment, but it doesn't necessarily mean to be jor-joran (excessive). Basically, women must not be obstructed in being able to attain knowledge.

But there has been progress in knowledge among women. If women get equal opportunities to men, they will not be left behind. Founding president Sukarno personified women as the left wing of the country's symbol, Garuda, while the right wing was men. If those wings have no equal strength, Garuda would be unable to fly.

Knowledge for women is important. If women have no knowledge, the next generation will be less qualified.

Nadira Alatas, PR executive and talk show host:

Emancipation for me means equality and equal opportunities, and coordination between both sexes in household tasks.

Like with my daughter, my husband and I have equal responsibility. Just as it's my responsibility to call home to check if my daughter has had lunch, it's also my husband's. If I can't do it for some reason, then he should do it instead.

But, in some ways, I think we're advancing too fast. Some young women today are very expressive, but they're also aggressive, which is part of the lifestyle changes, the clubbing, etc., that is happening now. They become offensive when things don't go the way they want them to.

They're emancipating without really understanding the objective. They think it is about dominating, competing, aggressiveness, but we have to remember that what Kartini really wanted was equality in education.

Ria Irawan, actress:

I think you asked the wrong person because I don't like Kartini and any celebrations related to her birthday.

And I always associate the word emancipation with stupid things done by some women in a bid to get what you call equal treatment with the opposite sex.

If you ask me what is meant by being a woman here and if women are in an equal position to men, I don't have to give a lengthy explanation because I know exactly how it feels.

I was raised by Ade Irawan (her actress mother), a single parent who worked hard to feed five children. You can imagine what hardships she had to struggle against.

My mother is really a strong woman who hates Kartini. Now all of us, her children, have grown up and done well. She is still working though; and that amazes me.

Principally, I am not really following what's going on among the female activists or groups that work for women's rights but since I worked with some of them, I know they have ideals about gender equality and solidarity among women.

Once I also asked myself why those activists have to campaign for this. After I had a chance to work with them on the stage or in seminars, I began to understand. But for me, the idealism still belongs to several individuals, not the movement.

I learned the concepts of equality and independence from my mother. I also understand that women here are still shrouded by myths and social limitations that do not allow them to move freely.

How do I cope with that? I just enjoy that situation ... this is what we have here. But I always feel stronger and better than Kartini. It's true being a woman here is not easy. We have to respect ourselves and conduct ourselves in such a way that people will not just see us as using our femininity.

Baby Jim Aditya, AIDS activist:

Some women have been enlightened about their rights but many, despite their education and achievements, still have to endure unjust treatment in the workplace, society and in their own family.

Many girls from poor families don't get to enjoy education because it's the privilege of their male siblings. And women in general are still considered as an object and not as a human being with dignity.

I've also seen many smart and talented women whose opportunity to further develop their potential was diminshed by their husbands and limited to only household chores and reproductive tasks.

Apart from being deprived of their rights, women are often discouraged from voicing their problems and must keep those within the four walls of the bedroom.

The call for emancipation in schools on Kartini Day is nothing but a celebration of symbols, like wearing a kebaya (traditional Javanese blouse) or sanggul (traditional hairdo), but we never really understand the true meaning of emancipation.

I do believe that proper education can bridge this gap but we have a long way to go because we can never teach the younger generation about emancipation and other women's issues if our generation is not critical about the matter.

Education in the classroom and in families should also emphasize gender equality. By doing so, men will respect women as equal human beings and at the same time it will empower women to fight for their rights.

Dita Indah Sari, chairwoman of the National Front for the Struggle of Indonesian Workers (FNPBI):

Compared to women living in Afghanistan or Pakistan, our situation is far better. But, here there are political and also economic hurdles that cause women to be left with few choices.

When we were hit by economic turmoil, many women were forced to work because their husbands were laid off. Although they are working, it doesn't mean that they are then equal with male workers.

In the workplace, discrimination against women often occurs. The discrimination may be in the salary or treatment. Many women are forced to work in the informal sector where there is no protection at all over their rights as women and as workers.

So it is incorrect to suppose that an emancipated woman is a woman who has a career, who is working or earning money.

Now with the weakening government grip on its people, religious conservatism and the revival of hukum adat (traditional law) are strongly influencing how our community treats women.

In some areas, where regional autonomy and traditional law as well as religious sentiments are on the rise, women are not allowed to leave the house after certain hours, or they are required to wear particular outfits.

My own experience? I think I have given a living example for my friends here because they can see that a woman too can lead an organization and I think I have managed to do that. I am always tried to involve more and more women activists with us here.

Being in an organization is a good lesson for everyone.

Aisyah Amini, legislator and member of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM):

When women are no longer treated as the subordinate sex, no longer as an object and there are no more sexual violations against women, then we can say that we have succeeded in the struggle to achieve gender equality.

To get to that point, we have to promote what gender equality really is. Women have to realize that they are equal to men ... same rights, same opportunities ... For example, why do some women opt to be mistresses?

The debate over the substance of the observance of Kartini Day is not necessary because Kartini had her time over 100 years ago in the struggle to provide education for women.

Her battle was needed in her time. Now it's our duty to follow suit, struggling for more.

Ghea Panggabean, fashion designer:

The role of women is very necessary because the challenges of the modern era cannot be solved by men alone.

Women's roles and responsibilities, which have been limited to household chores and taking care of children, now have become more challenging as many of them also have a career to pursue. For this, emancipation is very important to ensure equality with men and to create synergy.

In my opinion, Indonesian women have to continue to work and make their contribution to society in general. By doing so, they will show the country that they can take care of their traditional role and also carry out important roles in the society.

This has been proven as we now have a woman president and women professors, among others.

It's more proof that women should not be considered weak but as able people.

Missiyah, activist from the Circle of Alternative Education for Women (Kapal Perempuan):

No significant actions have been taken by the government to achieve gender equality in society. But I see concrete efforts taken by non-governmental organizations to empower women, and that reaches the villages.

We have to understand gender equality as similar rights, similar protection and similar opportunities between men and women. The term is all about justice for both sexes.

If we want to create gender equality, then we have to work on the sources of discrimination against women, such as the local patriarchal culture, the law which fails to provide protection for women's rights and the economy, where women are marginalized.

Many people believe that religious teachings also discriminative against women. I think it is a good effort in that many NGOs concerning women rights have started to interpret religious teachings, which mostly put women in a subordinate position in society.

Kapal considers that we need local leaders emerging from the smallest groups in society. Their existence will strengthen the efforts to achieve such equality.