TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - March 8 is commemorated globally as International Women’s Day and it would be most improper not to honor the achievements of women in Indonesia in the course of the nation’s 70 years of independence. First and foremost, we have come a long way from that antiquated definition, “Women’s place is at home.” Whether it’s from a growing awareness of women’s rights or economic necessity, increasingly, women today feel obliged to share the burden of contributing to the family income. Some 35 percent of Indonesian women – according to many surveys – are involved in small and medium enterprises – in addition to other sources of livelihood. Like it or not, this is the new normal. And while there are still pockets of traditionalists in society, this new reality is what drives the surge for girls to be educated and better trained, so they can properly and equally participate in the diverse social, political and economic areas. Conditions are still far from ideal, discrimination against women is still pervasive. But progress continues, especially now that the role of women has been redefined as an equal partner in family endeavors. “Against the backdrop of the significant progress made in the world of work, there is much yet to accomplish,” concluded a report of the ILO-Gallup survey, recently issued on International Women’s Day.
