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View all search resultsHelping women progress in their professional careers
Real progress for women in Indonesia requires moving past ceremonial greetings and toward structural reforms that dismantle patriarchal barriers and unlock the full economic power of the female workforce.
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Participants march during a protest organized by the Indonesian Women's Alliance (API) on the 50th International Women's Day demanding labor rights, gender equality and protections, on March 8, 2025, in Jakarta. (JP/Muhammad Zaenuddin)
W
hen the world celebrated International Women’s Day last month, many men sent sincere greetings of gratitude and appreciation. Most of these messages were directed toward mothers, wives, sisters and cousins.
But how many sent these greetings to their female professional colleagues, bosses, subordinates, business partners and investors? Equally important, how many expressed gratefulness to female caregivers, doctors, nurses and domestic staff—all of whom are pillars of support and assistance?
Gratitude and appreciation must go beyond ceremonial occasions and mere words. They must be translated into genuine efforts and actions that help women progress in their professional careers.
The term “professional” should encompass both white- and blue-collar employees. Society can only progress if female bankers, managers, bureaucrats and doctors receive the same attention and opportunities as female cleaners, caregivers, food vendors and event hostesses.
The support and assistance elaborated below should not stem from a patronizing attitude of superiority or charity, but rather from a sensitivity to the unfair practices and expectations that hamper the well-deserved progress of women. Gender sensitivity and empowerment require men to play a supportive role. Specifically, those in positions of leadership, power, and influence must help rectify patriarchal mistakes, regressive barriers and discriminatory policies.
For centuries, patriarchy has been an entrenched reality, especially in deeply religious and conservative societies like Indonesia. While the constitution and various laws strive to create a level playing field, it remains a sad truth that many parents still favor sons over daughters, and wives face greater pressure to sacrifice their careers compared to husbands.
Those who point out these discrepancies or speak truth to power are often unfairly labeled with terms like “feminism”, “liberalism” or “wokeism”. They are told not to disrupt harmony, to maintain the status quo, and to drop notions considered “incompatible” with tradition. Such attitudes are incompatible with progress in the 21st century and must be called out.
