Women are the Pillars of the Nation

Today, we commemorate the birth of Raden Ajeng (RA) Kartini. She is a great national heroine whose contributions are immense, especially in awakening women to their rights and obligations, both as individuals and as citizens of the nation.

During her lifetime, Kartini observed that women in this country had not yet obtained their rights, particularly in the field of education. Yet, it is through education that women’s horizons will be broadened, enabling them to obtain the rights they deserve.

Although Indonesia has long been independent, we see that women in this country remain vulnerable to becoming victims of domestic violence (KDRT), whether physical, psychological, or sexual.

In the digital world, we have recently seen many incidents of violence and sexual harassment against women. Moreover, many actions that degrade the dignity and honour of women are carried out by women themselves. For example, through pornographic acts and pornography, which clearly damage the morals and ethics of the nation, including the younger generation.

In the world of work, there are still certain parties in Indonesia who discriminate against women. This concerns issues of employment opportunities, career progression, and wages.

In addition, we see that many pregnant women and those giving birth still cannot obtain leave as they should. Yet, fulfilling this right is important, especially for the well-being of their children.

And, no less concerning is the issue of the double burden. On one hand, women as wives must work to help earn a living to meet their family’s daily needs. On the other hand, they must also handle all the domestic household chores.