INDONESIAN WOMEN TOWARDS EQUALITY

Even though the fundamental differences between various groups in the world, boundary lines between woman's and mans rights, I still believe that there is a point where these differences may meet and grow into one perfect whole. Where peace and harmony will be created from a sense of mutual respect of differences. Where everyone will feel at peace. Harmony between sexes and individuals does not necessarily depend on an equalization of human beings, nor does it call for the elimination of individual traits. The problem that confronts us today, and which the nearest future will be solved, is how to be one's self and yet in oneness with others. To feel deeply with many kinds of people and still have one's own characteristic qualities. This can be the basic idea to solve this problem. The quote from Madame de Stal: "To understand everything means to forgive everything," also represents the fundamental aspect of my views on the emancipation of woman. Emancipation should make it possible for woman to be human in the truest sense. Everything within her that craves assertion and activity should reach its fullest expression. All artificial barriers should be broken, and the road towards greater freedom cleared of every trace of submission and slavery. This was the original aim of the movement for woman's emancipation. But, is the results have been achieved? Nowadays, merely external emancipation has been made. Many women continue to struggle against violence. Sometimes, men also didnt listen to women. Many parents often married off their young daughter instead of give them education. When will woman enjoy her full rights? Historically, women played an important role in our nations fight for independence. Today, women continue to be heavily involved in the development of our country. At home, women play a special role in the lives of their children as they are their first source of knowledge.

Despite all of the special skills women have, they have often become the target of jokes and cynicism in social life, public policy and in careers. Ironically, provocative, gender-bias statements have often come from respected representatives of the people. They disrespect women and unconsciously laugh at their failures to protect themselves, a set-back in the fight for equality. The uproar stemming from a Supreme Court justice candidate who said that he would not consider handing down a death sentence to a rapist because rape might be consensual, is just another example of the weakness of women in the social structure. Violence against women is shown in the media almost every day. Individual, cultural, institutional and/or structural oppression continues to push inequality and injustice for women. Also, Indonesian womens vulnerability has extends further than domestic abuse. When we try to talk about violence towards women, most people only define it as domestic violence, but it goes far beyond that. The violence extends to the state level, where women become victims of discriminative laws and are often hit hardest by disasters caused by unfair policies. For example, when women become victims of a disaster, they often have to take care of themselves as well as the children. They are also prone to losing their previous roles in agriculture when a communitys land is taken over by companies. Therefore, the women who previously managed their own land became paid workers for the mining companies, or were simply deprived of jobs, which they lost to men. There are also high amounts of acute respiratory diseases and reproductive diseases these women may experience from unfriendly environment.

Emancipation has brought woman economic equality with man. Woman can choose her own profession and trade, but as her past and present physical training has not equipped her with the necessary strength to compete with man. She is often compelled to exhaust all her energy, use up her vitality, and strain every nerve in order to reach the market value. Very few were succeed. Those that do reach that enticing equality, generally do so with expensive sacrifice. A so-called independence which 1eads only to earning the merest subsistence is not so enticing that one could expect woman to sacrifice everything for it. Salvation lies in an energetic march onward towards a brighter and clearer future. We are in need of unhampered growth out of old traditions and habits. The movement for woman's emancipation has so far made but the first step in that direction, hoped that it will gather strength to make another. The right to vote, or equal civil rights, may be good demands, but true emancipation begins neither at the polls nor in courts. It begins in woman's soul. She need to realize that her freedom will reach as far as her power to achieve her freedom reaches. Therefore, far more important for her to begin with her inner regeneration, to cut loose from the weight of prejudices, traditions, and customs. The demand for equal rights in every vocation of life is just and fair; but, after all, the most vital right is the right to love and be loved. A true conception of the relation of the sexes will not admit of conqueror and conquered. To give of one's self boundlessly, in order to find one's self richer, deeper, better. Indonesian women today are surrounded by at least three aspects that have become major sources of their daily problems. First, patriarchal ideology influences everyday life. The traditional and patriarchal family places women lower than their male counterparts, such as when it comes to accessing higher education, decent jobs and exercising their political rights. Staying at home without making any significant financial contribution often prompts poor parents to arrange early marriages for their daughters.

Second, inaccessible education and training skills have forced women to enter informal, low-paying, even dirty jobs. Therefore, it cannot be denied that resource quality improvement for women remains unfinished, especially for government officials. Third, globalization policies have transformed women into a commodity, intertwined with family and state roles. Feminization of domestic work and the global labor market channels their specialty or skills to serve families and countries by working as overseas domestic workers. In return, they are considered heroines for contributing financially to both parties. Transnational domestic work business involves many actors and billions of dollars. But, female migrant workers are still at risk and vulnerable to abuse and human rights violations. If the authorities are willing to address the problem, they should guarantee the protection of a womans right to health and safety in workplaces. In addition, the government should raise their status from unskilled to skilled workers to protect them under international labor laws. Training to improve their skills and help them adjust to a new life should be mandatory prior to their departure. The question then is: How can we solve these complicated conditions experience by women and other marginalized groups? Lots of programs and policies have been implemented to improve human capacity. However, violations keep occurring due to lack of control, commitment and cooperation among stakeholders. As Indonesian cultural values are tightly bound by kinship, family should be considered a fundamental partner in finding solutions. To achieve this, we need programs to help strengthen families, to help them increase their incomes and heighten awareness among parents so that their children can have a better future. Of course, the voices family members should be heard and accommodated during the process of state intervention.

Communities have their own leaders who guide their members social, religious, economic and political lives. Additionally, community and religious leaders should improve their values, fight for social justice and have equality for all groups. They are supposed to serve as spokesmen for the peoples needs, interests and concerns, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, class, religion and organizational affiliation. If this is done, a sense of community and community resilience will develop and work effectively in response to any problems that arise in their daily lives. Finally, the government, and the private sector should work together to support efforts to improve peoples lives. Engaging families, the youth and communities as partners will improve the effectiveness of public programs and services. Creating one-stop services or integrative services for assistance can be realized through inter-professional leadership, collaboration and partnership. Applying this approach will help public services, avoid overlapping programs and simultaneously improve the efficiency of public programs and policies.