Internet could ease women’s dual role

Shall we dance?: Pregnant women belly dance at an event at Gramex, Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday. Through the exercise, pregnant women are encouraged to stay active and fit during pregnancy. (Antara/Eric Ireng)One of the major challenges facing Asian women is how to cope with responsibilities, propelling their careers as well as taking care of the family.

Debates on the ability of Asian women to be successful with both their careers and their families arose when The Economist published a thought-provoking cover in August titled “Why Asian Women Are Rejecting Marriage and What That Means,” in which the magazine reported a surge in divorce rates among Asia’s successful career women.

Fortunately for future generations of Asian women, the development of the Internet could help women thrive in both jobs.

During the ASEAN Regional Workshop on Dynamics of Women in Information Communications Technology (ICT) Sector on Wednesday, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said that the development in ICT could help women grasp a greater role in the era of information technology.

“I am certain that ICT could become a powerful tool of development for women,” Mari said during the Workshop, “this is because women could work and do various tasks from home [by utilizing ICT],”.

The Trade Minister went on to explain that ICT’s role in the economy could be significant, considering it could be utilized for providing information to customers, as well as facilitating the purchasing process.

CEO and founder of QB Creative Betti Alisjahbana echoed Mari’s statements, claiming that the development of ICT would allow women to work from home to better achieve a “life-work” balance.

Betti argued that ICT had the ability to encourage women to become entrepreneurs while at the same time watching over their children, leading them to be successful both in family and their careers.

Betti was the former CEO of IBM Indonesia and the first woman to lead IBM operations in an Asia Pacific country. She resigned from her job in 2008 and found QB Creative, a company that focuses on leadership development and information technology services.

Despite her career experiences as CEO in both IBM Indonesia as well as QB Creative, she maintained tender relationships with her two children as well as her husband, with whom she celebrated her 25-year anniversary last year.

“ICT brings significant benefits for women, as housewives can be more productive in their various roles in the household, such as managing the children’s education, the household income and doing other household chores,” Betti said.

Betti argued that with the presence of ICT, women who become entrepreneurs can run their business from home, as well as acquiring wider market access by establishing web sites on the Internet.

Due to the increasing role of women in today’s economy, Betti Alisjahbana, representative of Indonesian ICT Society during the workshop, recommended that governments in ASEAN countries be more committed to advancing ICT for women’s empowerment.

“Given the great role of women in society and the significant benefit of ICT to women, improving women’s access to the Internet will significantly improve ASEAN competitiveness and prosperity,” she concluded.