Questioning the Existence of Women: The Impact of Ideological, Cultural, and Socio-Economic Structural Hegemony

 Hajidah Sahwa Sadiqah and Zaidan Zainaddin

Structural Hegemony towards Women's Existence

Feminist Society Indonesia — One of the most striking elements in the dark pages of Indonesian history in 1965 was the hegemonic ideological control in the New Order regime that made femininity have to be in line with the conservative nature of women, returning to the obedient and compliant Sumbadra. As a result of myths, images, and inappropriate strategic efforts in ideological control, women are kept from achieving freedom, making women individuals by questioning their situations and conditions as women themselves.

According to Beauvoir, the existence of women is based on awareness (with others). Women are not born but "made". The Indonesian system and culture still reinforce the nature of women by perpetuating the myth that women must adopt a submissive, passive, obedient character towards male family members, be shy and polite in sexual matters, be nurturing and sacrifice themselves, always be an object, and be closely associated with being a wife and mother.

The state, as the protector of all its people, is still gender biased in various aspects of life, which creates a space (oppression) of gender discrimination, violence, and sexual harassment. Structural violence does not involve clear individual perpetrators but occurs because of unjust social systems and structures. It causes loss or suffering for individuals or groups through rules, policies, and practices that hinder their access to all needs.

In the Annual Notes (CATAHU) of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) 2024, the number of complaints of cases of Violence against Women in 2023 was 289,111, of which 4,347 were complaints to the National Commission on Violence Against Women, while 3,303 were cases of gender-based violence. This number means that, on average, Komnas Perempuan receives 16 complaints daily.

The complaint data for these cases are gender-based violence (GBV), which is still dominated by violence against women:

Personal/Domestic Realm	284.741 cases (98.5%)
Public Domain	4.182 cases (1.4%)
State Domain	188 cases  (0.1%)

This underlines that the domestic space, which should be a safe place, is the central location for violence. On the other hand, violence in the public and state spheres continues to reflect a systemic failure to protect women in various spaces.

The combination of these problems has a relationship and continuity with other problems. Structures or policies that still perpetuate violence indirectly against women, namely, causing women in Indonesia to experience gender oppression. Oppression is the cruel or unjust treatment of people or groups with power over the other group. The unjust treatment of power is often under governmental, cultural opprobrium, and authority.

Structural and personal violence experienced by women in Indonesia has finally become a culture so that society normalizes all forms of oppression against women. Women are considered to be naturally subject to violence, sexual harassment, discrimination, marginalization, exploitation, powerlessness, and subaltern.

This habit is affirmed by cultural imperialism over a very long period, making society normalize the culture of subordinating women's rights, even women, against themselves. Normalizing gender inequality will lead to increasingly intense forms of discrimination so that it can strengthen the doctrine or myth that women are attached to number two, obedient, passive, and objects.

How could it not be? Silenced voices and lost hopes give women no fighting power, even for themselves. They have been silent since the beginning, thinking about their fate; efforts to equalize gender cannot be executed because they have not been able to free themselves individually. Women's dependence on a dominant structure or group makes privilege strengthen the loss of women's existence. A dominant structure will become an inherent culture.

All sectors support women's powerlessness (structurally, culturally, individually, even women themselves) so that, in the end, women individually and in groups do not realize that they are in a threatened position. According to Young's theory, the struggle is seeking justice with the right to fair conditions for self-development and freedom of self-determination for each individual, as well as working together between women and uniting for this.

According to Young’s theory, the principle of justice is simple: treating everyone based on the same rules, norms, standards, and principles of rights or law. Every individual has rights and limitations according to norms, rules, and laws, in which policymakers have the power with the hope of not abusing power.

The domino effect of the problems that haunt women as a whole causes gender economic inequality (women's financial freedom). This condition is very burdensome for women economically because they consider women deserve lower wages than men.

You can also read: Breaking Barriers: Women’s Economic Empowerment in Rural Areas

In the economic sector, the State makes a policy on the Special Budget for Gender Targets aimed at women's and men's basic needs. In terms of spending, the Malang City Government, through the Social Service, Women's Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control, and Family Planning (DINSOS P3AP2KB), plans gender-related programs. The Special Budget for Gender Targets is spent on Policy Advocacy and Assistance for Women's Protection Services.

The Malang City Government budgets activities in this category in the form of socialization of prevention of sexual violence. The Budget for Institutionalization of Gender Equality (Affirmative Action) is in the form of allocations for forms of institutionalization of Gender Mainstreaming initiated by the Regional Government. This expenditure can be budgeted in the data collection process and other related activities such as increasing the capacity of Human Resources.

If we look at the 2023 Malang City Regional Budget (APBD), the most significant expenditure is in the social assistance expenditure post for individuals and community groups at 30% of the total spending, followed by regional administration support expenditure with a percentage of 28% and in third place is social rehabilitation expenditure for skills training with an amount of 19% of the total spending of the DINSOS P3AP2KB. The portion of expenditure related to gender affairs and women's empowerment is only 7.53%. There is a reasonably significant expenditure difference compared to regional administration support expenditure.

Marginalization keeps weaker groups outside the boundaries, combined with fragmentation, to keep the distance between non-superior groups. Furthermore, this applies in the context of gender, where women are the inferior group and are shaped by the structure.

In this case, policies that perpetuate economic inequality against women usually arise from a combination of historical, cultural, political, and institutional factors that do not take women's needs, roles, or rights into account equally (structural violence).

Lack of equal legal protection, namely, Indonesia without strong policies to protect women from sexual harassment or discrimination and subordination, women tend to face more significant economic barriers. The government does not consider women's economic empowerment a strategic priority, even though many studies show that improving women's position in the economy drives incredible economic growth in the country and can meet their basic needs.

Gender policies are often not evaluated to ensure their impact on women and men, so gender equality in the economy is not known or improved. Policies should focus on the underlying issues of direct violence in society, one of which is the economy. Therefore, both awareness of a woman to show her existence and empower herself and the government also significantly impact the success of gender equality.

The role of dominance that has long been adopted by men and women who are reluctant to empower themselves in all areas has an epic combination when combined with the absence of women's empowerment by structural policies. Women are identical to economic dependence on men; how could it not be? Women earn less and are burdened with domestic roles, so it makes sense when mothers prefer to stay at home because the dominant structural group is indifferent. The culture is inherent so that society normalizes women at home, and the cycle of women's dependency continues so that discrimination is difficult to eliminate. If women choose to become working mothers, then the double burden is adopted by women with domestic burdens that seem to be mandatory for women to bear.

All of these issues are inseparable from the circle of structural violence created for women; in the end, there is a gap created between men's and women's rights; the view of women is below men, and women become number two, causing difficulties for women in obtaining their rights such as health services, economic resources, work and education caused by political and economic policies which are a form of structural violence.

If you are interested in issues related to gender equality and in-depth discussions about feminism, join with Feminist Society Indonesia. Feminist Society Indonesia aims to promote gender equality and women’s rights activism through education and advocacy. To get related articles, please visit the page feminist-society.blogspot.com.

You can also contact us on:

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LinkedIn         : Feminist Society Indonesia

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View More:

R. P. Tong. 1998. Feminist Thought. (Yogyakarta: Jalasutra).

P. Barker. 2018. The Silence of The Girls. (London: Penguin Random House).

J. Galtung. 2011. A Missing Family of Classical Orthogonal Polynomials. Journal of Physics Mathematical and Theoretical. Volume 44. Number 8. https://doi.org/10.1088/1751-8113/44/8/085201

C. Yoon. 2014. Feminist Marxism. Paper Knowledge. Toward a Media History of Documents, 1990.

D. A. Germia. 2020. Critical Logic of Classical Philosophers.

 

Breaking Barriers: Women's Economic Empowerment in Rural Areas

 Khairiah El Marwiah

Empowering Women in Rural Areas

Feminist Society Indonesia — Economic empowerment plays a crucial role in advancing gender equality and fostering sustainable development. However, women in rural areas often face persistent challenges that restrict their ability to succeed. These challenges include limited access to essential resources, education, and job opportunities. As a result, many women are unable to fully participate in the economy or unlock their potential. By addressing these barriers and establishing supportive environments, we can create opportunities for women to thrive. Empowering women in rural communities can have a significant impact on both local and global economies. When these women are given the tools and resources they need, they can contribute to economic growth and development.

Women living in rural areas face a multitude of systemic challenges that hinder their economic empowerment and personal growth. Among the most significant issues are limited access to essential resources, such as land ownership, financial services, and educational opportunities. These barriers are often deeply rooted in cultural norms and traditional gender roles, which confine women to unpaid domestic responsibilities and limit their active participation in economic ventures.

The lack of adequate infrastructure in rural areas exacerbates these challenges. Poor connectivity, whether in terms of roads or internet access, isolates women from critical markets and educational platforms, further marginalizing them. Addressing these systemic issues requires a multifaceted approach that targets the root causes while providing sustainable solutions tailored to the specific needs of rural communities.

Education serves as a foundation for economic empowerment and social mobility. In many rural settings, young girls are frequently deprived of access to quality education due to entrenched cultural practices, financial constraints, or obligations to marry at an early age. By prioritizing education policies that advocate for gender equality and developing community-based training programs, these barriers can be dismantled. Programs that combine traditional knowledge with modern skills can further enhance the relevance and sustainability of educational efforts, ensuring that women gain practical tools for economic self-reliance.

Vocational training and digital literacy initiatives play an equally significant role in bridging gaps in education and employment. Teaching women practical skills that align with local economic opportunities, such as agriculture, handicrafts, or digital marketing, fosters entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency. Furthermore, integrating women into skill development programs empowers them to challenge societal norms while contributing to their families and communities economically. Sustainable change requires collective action and long-term investment in education systems tailored to rural contexts.

Access to financial resources plays a pivotal role in fostering economic independence for women. Many rural women face challenges in obtaining loans or credit due to systemic barriers and lack of collateral. Financial institutions, including microfinance organizations, can bridge this gap by providing tailored services that meet the unique needs of women entrepreneurs. Furthermore, creating awareness about financial tools and opportunities can encourage women to explore avenues for savings, investments, and credit facilities.

Developing financial literacy programs is another critical step in ensuring women can effectively manage resources and build sustainable businesses. Women equipped with knowledge about budgeting, investments, and risk management are more likely to succeed in their ventures. These efforts should be complemented by community-based initiatives that promote collective saving schemes and empower women to achieve economic resilience. Addressing these financial gaps not only uplifts individual women but also strengthens entire communities.

Encouraging entrepreneurship among rural women can transform local economies and foster community growth. Women entrepreneurs often face unique challenges, such as limited access to funding and mentorship opportunities. Governments and NGOs can play a pivotal role by offering grants, establishing mentorship programs, and connecting women with broader markets. These efforts can create a supportive ecosystem where women feel empowered to innovate and expand their businesses.

Additionally, creating women-friendly marketplaces and leveraging e-commerce platforms can help rural women reach new audiences. These platforms provide opportunities to showcase local products and connect directly with consumers, reducing dependence on intermediaries. By addressing systemic barriers and fostering a culture of entrepreneurship, communities can unlock the untapped potential of women, paving the way for sustainable economic progress.

Government policies are critical in advancing gender equality and ensuring women’s rights in local communities. Enforcing laws that guarantee equal pay, protect against workplace discrimination, and secure women’s property rights can significantly enhance their economic opportunities. Additionally, policies that address workplace harassment and promote family-friendly practices can help create a safer and more inclusive environment for women. These measures not only empower women but also contribute to broader social and economic development.

Advocacy campaigns are equally vital in shifting cultural perceptions and breaking down stereotypes that limit women’s roles. Educational initiatives and public awareness programs can help communities recognize the immense value of women’s contributions. By fostering an environment where women’s achievements are celebrated and their rights are upheld, advocacy efforts lay the foundation for long-term societal change.

You can also read: International Women's Day 2025

Real-world examples demonstrate the transformative impact of empowering women in local contexts, showing how such initiatives can break down barriers and promote significant change. In India, self-help groups have proven effective in providing women with access to microloans and entrepreneurial training, which has led to an increase in household incomes and greater community development. These programs enable women to gain the resources and confidence necessary to launch their own businesses, while also fostering a sense of solidarity and collaboration among participants. By supporting each other, these women create a network of empowerment that drives collective success. The success of these initiatives underscores the importance of targeted support tailored to the unique needs of women in rural areas. Ultimately, collective action is key to helping these women achieve their economic goals and enhance their communities.

In Africa, agricultural cooperatives have played a pivotal role in empowering women farmers by providing them with access to crucial resources such as markets, training, and funding. Through collaboration and shared knowledge, these women have significantly increased their productivity and income, leading to measurable economic growth within their communities. These cooperatives have not only improved the livelihoods of women but have also contributed to the broader development of rural economies. The model highlights how localized, community-driven solutions can effectively address the systemic barriers women face in agricultural industries. As a result, women are able to capitalize on their skills and resources, fostering both personal and economic growth. These case studies reveal that empowering women through tailored, cooperative efforts can open up sustainable opportunities for economic and social advancement.

Empowering rural women is essential for fostering gender equality and driving sustainable economic growth. By removing barriers to education, financial resources, and skill development, we can unlock their full potential. Governments, NGOs, and individuals must collaborate to create opportunities that support female entrepreneurship and access to markets. We must prioritize policies that protect women's rights, ensure equal pay, and promote workplace safety. Financial literacy and microfinance initiatives are crucial to helping women build businesses and achieve economic independence. Together, we can transform rural communities, improve lives, and build stronger, more resilient economies.

If you are interested in issues related to gender equality and in-depth discussion about feminism, let’s join with Feminist Society Indonesia. Feminist Society Indonesia aims to promote gender equality and women’s rights activism through education and advocacy. To get related articles, please visit the page feminist-society.blogspot.com.

You can also contact us on:

Instagram            : @feministsociety.id

LinkedIn               : Feminist Society Indonesia

Email                     : fem.official7@gmail.com

View More:

Andrea Cornwall. 2016. Women’s Empowerment: What Works?. (London: Zed Books).

Naila Kabeer. 2005. Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: A Critical Analysis of the Third Millennium Development Goal. (London: Routledge).

Jeffrey D Sachs. 2005. The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. (New York: Penguin Books).

Amartya Sen. 1999. Development as Freedom. (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

 

 

International Women’s Day 2025

 Dave P. Manalu

International Women's Day 2025

Feminist Society Indonesia — As we celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, we honor the trailblazing women who paved the way for future generations. We recognize the progress made towards achieving gender equality while also acknowledging the significant work still to be done.

The theme of International Women's Day 2025 is "For All Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, Empowerment”. This theme serves as a poignant reminder that women's empowerment is not only a matter of social justice but also a catalyst for global transformation.

A Legacy of Courage and Resilience

Throughout history, women have demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience in the face of adversity. From suffragettes fighting for the right to vote to civil rights activists advocating for racial equality, women have played a pivotal role in shaping the course of human history.

Today, we draw inspiration from women like Malala Yousafzai, who defied the Taliban to advocate for girls' education, and Tarana Burke, who founded the #MeToo movement to combat sexual harassment and assault. Their bravery and determination serve as a testament to the transformative power of women's leadership.

The Unfinished Agenda of Gender Equality

Despite the progress made, significant challenges persist in achieving gender equality. Women and girls continue to face systemic barriers to education, economic opportunities, and healthcare. They are disproportionately affected by poverty, violence, and climate change.

The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023 reveals that it will take approximately 132 years to achieve full gender parity at the current rate of progress. This staggering statistic underscores the urgent need for accelerated action to address the unfinished agenda of gender equality.

Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity

So, what can we do to empower women and, in turn, empower humanity? Here are a few strategies:

1.       Promote Education and Economic Empowerment: Invest in girls' education and provide women with access to economic opportunities, including entrepreneurship training and financial resources.

2.       Address Violence Against Women: Implement policies and programs to prevent and respond to violence against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

3.       Advance Women's Leadership: Support women's leadership development and promote their representation in decision-making positions across all sectors.

4.       Foster a Culture of Inclusion: Encourage a culture of inclusion that values diversity, promotes equality, and challenges discriminatory attitudes and behaviors.

Conclusion

As we celebrate International Women's Day, let us recommit ourselves to the pursuit of gender equality and women's empowerment. Let us honor the women who have paved the way for us and inspire future generations to continue the fight for a more just and equitable world.

By empowering women, we empower humanity. We unlock the potential for a brighter, more prosperous future – a future where all individuals can thrive and reach their full potential.

Together, let us create a world where women and girls are valued, respected, and empowered to shape their own destinies.

If you are interested in issues related to gender equality and in-depth discussions about feminism, let's join with Feminist Society Indonesia. Feminist Society aims to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights through education and advocacy. To get related articles, please visit the page feminist-society.blogspot.com.

You can also contact us on:

Instagram            : @feministsociety.id

LinkedIn               : Feminist Society Indonesia

Email                     : fem.official7@gmail.com

Ikrar’s Inspirational Story: Making Impacts through Education

Inspirational Story in Teaching in 3T Areas

Feminist Society - The quote “everyone is a teacher and every place is a school” may aptly describe what Ikrar Aruming Wilujeng — a pengajar muda at the Indonesia Mengajar program who dedicates herself to teach children in the 3T (Tertinggal, Terdepan, and Terluar) area, is doing. Ikrar was placed in Kampung Menarbu, Roon District, Telok Wondama Regency, West Papua.

During the assignment period, Ikrar has been seeing directly the educational problems that exist in the assignment area. One of them is the condition in which students often skip school because they go with their parents during working. It brought Ikrar to an extraordinary idea, instead of forcing students to come to school, Ikrar came up with the solution of bringing the school (learning to teach activity) to where the students were. Ikrar believes that the essence of learning is not that we should go to school buildings or wear school uniforms, but rather how people can learn and get access of education. It prompted Ikrar to hold a class far away on the beach of Rowor (where the student's parents worked) with the aim that the students could continue learning.

What Ikrar did is an image of an unsung hero who not only pays attention to education but also participates directly in the efforts to advance Indonesian education. Ikrar’s passion for education has been ingrained in her even since childhood when she sat in a primary school through her father who was an education consultant at that time serving in Papua and her mother who was a volunteer teacher. A life attached to education from a young age is what makes Ikrar want to dedicate herself to teaching.

Before attending the Indonesia Mengajar program, Ikrar was an assistant professor at Universitas Islam Indonesia and Universitas Widya Mataram. At the time of becoming an assistant professor, Ikrar was pretty much dealing with students from the 3T areas. At that point, Ikrar began to realize firsthand that there was such a lame literacy gap between those from 3T areas and those from urban backgrounds who were supported with adequate access to education since they were children. That triggered Ikrar to join the Indonesia Mengajar program in order to be able to see firsthand the condition of children in remote areas and to be able to help reach out for efforts to enlighten the life of the nation as stated in the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution.

In joining the Indonesia Mengajar program, Ikrar had to go through a long and not-easy selection process that took about 4 to 5 months. Initially, Ikrar had to go through the administrative stages that must complete the dossier, after which Ikrar had to go through the stages of creating an essay and answer a series of questions. After going through the process, Ikrar’s journey was not finished, Ikrar still had to make a program plan. Where the remaining registrants were given a case study relating to an issue in the placement area, then they were required to resolve the issue with a program plan they had created. After qualifying in those stages, Ikrar must pass through an online direct assessment stage where the remaining participants discussed via Zoom Meeting to discuss the program plans they had created. When completing these stages, Ikrar still had to go through offline stages such as interviews, psychological tests, and assessments to conduct persuasive communication with stakeholders.

You can also read: Emanuella Malonda's Steep Journey in Fighting for Women's Rights: A Feminist Activist Who Struggles to Fight Against Intimidation

After going through such a long selection process, Ikrar was finally able to qualify as one of the 33 people who were selected as the pengajar muda in the Indonesia Mengajar program. All 33 chosen people were then arranged to be placed in the assignment area. Where the placement of pengajar muda was based on the needs of the village and the criteria of each pengajar muda that had been assessed during the training period. During the assignment period, besides teaching, Ikrar and other pengajar muda also have a mission to be able to find educational actors in the area with whom they can cooperate and network together to support and develop education in the assignment area. There are five parties that are the direct partners of pengajar muda during the assignment period, namely student’s parents, teachers, principals, the community, and the government.

During her assignment in Kampung Menarbu, Ikrar saw many educational problems. In terms of teaching process, phenomena such as the presence of teachers but no schools or phenomena where there are schools but inactive teachers are actually common. The lack of guaranteed teacher welfare often makes teachers inactive in teaching because they have to work in the fields to meet their daily needs that cannot be covered by their income as teachers who receive less attention. This condition used to make Ikrar to teach and handle students at school alone.

Meanwhile, from the student's perspective, there are also various problems and challenges. In addition to the condition of skipping school because of the reason of following parents to work, there is also a very concerning problem of access to school. There are still children whose distance from their homes to school must take a full day. This condition forces them not to be able to go to school.

Therefore, in carrying out her duties and networking, every effort and dedication made by Ikrar as a pengajar muda, no matter how small, is always considered meaningful. Even something as simple as being able to encourage teachers to come to school to teach or as simple as being able to convince parents to allow their children to go to school is considered an extraordinary achievement.

Ikrar's story and experience are proof of how important a program like Indonesia Mengajar is to support efforts to equalize education in Indonesia. Hopefully, Ikrar can be an example for all of us to take part in efforts to improve education in Indonesia. As simple as creating a safe and comfortable space for children to learn and develop themselves is more than enough. We can move to carry out similar teaching programs based on communities or individuals in our environment. We can also contribute directly by joining the Indonesia Mengajar program which is routinely opened every year and can be registered for those who meet the requirements such as having completed a bachelor's degree, not married, and under 30 years old. In addition, we can also contribute indirectly through Iuran Publik Indonesia Mengajar as a communal movement Where the public can donate through the indonesiamengajar.org/iuran page as an official channel where people can donate to support the Indonesia Mengajar program and give birth to other Ikrars.

In that session, we agreed on two things. First, Feminist Society will continue to support social movements that aim to benefit the surrounding, such as efforts to promote educational progress through teaching programs and human empowerment. Second, we agreed to continue to coordinate and collaborate in the future in advocacy and education efforts.

Programs like Indonesia Mengajar are also one of the factors that motivate Feminist Society to hold the Feminist Society Mengajar Program in rural areas in several provinces in Indonesia which has been running for the past few months.

If you have any case related to gender equality or feminist issues and you need either advocacy assistance, counseling, support for campaign media, or some kind of that, feel free to contact us by this section. All of those things are free, you do not need to pay anything, it is our commitment to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights through education and advocacy.

You can also contact us on:

Instagram            : @feministsociety.id

Email                  : fem.official7@gmail.com

Patriarchical Views and Women's Exploitation Practices through the Prohibition of Sectio Caesarea on Childbirth and Contraceptive Use for Married Couples

Addriana Della Nasution

Sectio Caesarea on Childbirth and Contraceptive Use

Feminist Society - Women have a vulnerable position even when they have been stair-bound. The existence of taboo views on certain things to a view of patriarchy that still thickens in social life makes women unconsciously inclined to be ostracized by their own families and partners. Especially in the context of her role as a mother, women from the very beginning have experienced many difficulties.

Women as mothers will experience the process of pregnancy and childbirth which is certainly not very easy. A woman needs to conceive for 9 months (37-42 weeks) in her womb and when in the process of giving birth she has to fight by risking her life. After going through this process, a mother also needs to breastfeed and care for her baby while her condition is still in the postpartum recovery period.

To date, there are two methods in childbirth that can be performed by pregnant women: normal and Sectio Caesarea (SC). The normal method is the process of vaginal delivery. The Sectio Caesarea (SC) method is a surgical procedure on the abdomen and uterus to remove the fetus and placenta. Sectio Caesarea (SC) has also become an alternative to childbirth because it is considered easier and more convenient for a mother. This is also due to the fact that under certain conditions the normal delivery process can endanger the life of the mother and her baby, such as when the fetal position is transverse/breech, bleeding, premature rupture of amniotic fluid, pre-eclampsia, umbilical cord entanglement, hypertension, and others. It is safer to use the Sectio Caesarea (SC) method.

However, the presence of the Sectio Caesarea (SC) method does not necessarily answer the anxiety of pregnant women. This is due to the stigma in the main society in Indonesia if a woman does not give birth normally then she cannot be said to be a full mother. This view is in fact very dangerous for the permanence of mother and child in the process of childbirth that under certain conditions it is necessary to undergo the procedure of Sectio Caesarea (SC). In fact, there are many cases of fetal death due to not choosing the Sectio Caesarea (SC) method in Indonesia. If the condition is not treated with the Sectio Caesarea (SC) mechanism, it can potentially cause the conceived fetus to die.

You can also read: Catcalling: A Form of Sexual Harassment

The other patriarchal view is also common to the use of contraceptives for married couples which tends to be considered taboo. In fact, the role of contraceptives is very influential in carrying out pregnancy prevention for the mother. This certainly has a positive impact for married couples to carry out pregnancy prevention programs both because they are not prepared mentally, financially, or to provide birth gaps. Giving birth distance is important because a mother's body after childbirth needs at least 12-24 months to recover until she can get pregnant again.

American content creator Hannah Neelman and her husband Daniel Neeleman have eight children whose birth distance between each child is very close, because Daniel does not allow Hannah to use contraceptives because it is considered unnatural and uses chemicals. In addition, Hannah had no nanny so she raised 8 children alone. He cooks food every day without any of the instant ingredients, thus processing it from raw materials. This caused him to become so sick from exhaustion that he was only ever bedridden for one week.

The existence of events such as the case above is certainly of great concern. This proves that cases can still be encountered that harm on the part of women. A woman after marriage is often positioned as a weak party and must obey the decisions of her husband. Whereas the essence of marriage itself is to unite men and women in a bond so as to build a harmonious family in it. In the presence of cases such as the above, it is important to educate the public that Sectio Caesarea (SC) and the use of contraceptives is a natural and safe thing for a woman. Later, no similar cases were encountered. On the contrary, prohibiting the existence of both practices indicates the principle of patriarchy that in this case does not think about the interests and survival of mother and child.

If you are interested in issues related to gender equality and in-depth discussion about feminism, let's join with Feminist Society. Feminist Society aims to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights activism through education and advocacy. To get related articles, please visit the page feminist-society.blogspot.com.

You can also contact us on:

Instagram            : @feministsociety.id

Email                     : fem.official7@gmail.com

View More:

Komarijah, Nurul, Setiawandari, and Yuni Khoirul Waroh. “Determinan Kejadian Persalinan Sectio Caesarea (Sc) Di Rsud Bangkalan.” Prosiding Seminar Nasional Hasil Riset Dan Pengabdian, 2023, 2513–22.

Nisak, Ana Zumrotun, Diah Andriani Kusumastuti, and Munawati Munawati. Perbedaan Metode Konvensional Dan Eracs Dengan Tingkat Nyeri Pada Pasien Post Sectio Cesarea. Jurnal Ilmu Keperawatan Dan Kebidanan. Volume 14. Number 1. https://doi.org/10.26751/jikk.v14i1.1689.

https://www.suara.com/lifestyle/2023/06/17/095500/viral-ibu-hamil-sudah-pecah-ketuban-malah-dilarang-mertua-dirujuk-ke-rumah-sakit-endingnya-bikin-warganet-emosi

https://www.liputan6.com/global/read/5658937/8-fakta-hannah-ballerina-farm-sosok-viral-yang-dijuluki-trad-wife?page=4

 

Emanuella Malonda's Steep Journey in Fighting for Women's Rights: A Feminist Activist Who Struggles to Fight Against Intimidation

Feminist Activist's Experience in Fighting against Intimidation

Feminist Society - “A lawbreaker who wants to provide legal aid, want to atone for sins?” “Be careful when choosing a legal aid, if I'm not mistaken this woman has committed violence” — those are the intimidating words that Emanuella Malonda, — a Sulawesi Utara feminist activist, received when she fought for women’s rights while providing legal aid to a child who was a victim of rape.

The existence of these intimidating words stems from Emanuella's personal problems in the past, having been a victim of a toxic relationship with her ex-boyfriend who at that time was almost brought to the legal realm (it was completed peacefully). With this past incident, Emanuella became an easy target to be attacked as if she was portrayed as someone who had legal problems, so it was not appropriate to provide legal assistance. In fact, the problem had been resolved peacefully. The intimidating verbal attacks came from a group of men who were friends of Emanuella's ex-boyfriend and also suspected members of the Law Enforcement officer. The worst thing is that they were all men, which seems to illustrate how women have a very vulnerable status in our society.

The intimidation began with a case that Emanuella and her Law Firm were trying to handle. In January 2024, they were suddenly asked to be legal counsel in a case of sexual violence against children that occurred in an area in North Minahasa Regency. Where it is suspected that a minor was raped by 9 men.

Before Emanuella and her law firm handled the case, the case had actually been reported to the authorities. But unfortunately, the case was stalled in the process with various obstacles, so when Emanuella and her law firm handled the case, in March 2024 they ultimately decided to hold a press conference with the intention of being able to draw public attention to the case so that it could help the law enforcement process.

It is validated that with the press conference and the case being blown up in the media, the case became a boom and could become a public concern. The press conference finally bore fruit, where after the case boomed, the law enforcement process that had previously stalled became clear where the case process finally ran. From 9 alleged perpetrators, 1 has reached the trial stage of witness examination, 4 people (adults) are at the investigation stage, and 4 others (children) are still at the suspect determination stage. This shows the significant role of Emanuella and her team in helping the case progress.

But unfortunately, with the little bright spot, it does not mean that Emanuella and her law firm's steps in providing legal assistance can run smoothly. From the booming case, it turned out to end with Emanuella being verbally intimidated. Emanuella deeply regrets when there are people who want to fight for women's rights but receive discriminatory and intimidating treatment. Moreover, these actions were carried out by alleged law enforcement officers who in essence should provide good examples and should not provide intimidating remarks that are tinged with misogyny that are very detrimental to women.

With this, Emanuella felt that she had been discriminated against and even criminalized by the alleged law enforcement officers. In fact, in this case, Emanuella was doing a noble thing to fight for the rights of other women by providing legal aid. The incident left Emanuella devastated and even traumatized because her past problems were brought up again which actually had nothing to do with the case she was handling. At that time, she almost decided to withdraw and stop overseeing the case because she felt traumatized by the attacks. However, with the support of the people around her, Emanuella re-strengthened her determination and goal to continue to be on the front lines of the struggle in defending women's rights and protecting oppressed women.

Conditions such as the continued prevalence of gender bias, lack of public awareness regarding the importance of gender equality, and the vulnerability of women are things that motivate Emanuella to continue to actively voice and fight for women's rights with the aim that people around her can be helped and educated.

You can also read: Revealing Ika Lailatun Nikmah's Struggle in Pursuing Higher Education: Challenges for Javanese Women in Accessing Education

In an interview session with the Feminist Society team, Emanuella hopes that more people will understand the importance of gender equality, both the government and society in general. Then Emanuella also hopes that in the future more youth will be involved and moved to fight for women's rights. In addition, Emanuella hopes that cases such as sexual violence against women, femicide, and so on can decrease in Indonesia in general and in North Sulawesi in particular.

In that session, we also agreed on two things. First, the Feminist Society will remain firm in supporting all movements that fight for women's rights, therefore the Feminist Society strongly condemns any acts of intimidation against those who fight for women's rights. Second, we agreed to continue to work together and coordinate between Emanuella and her law firm with the Feminist Society in voicing and fighting for the rights of women and those who are oppressed. Where if in the future there are developments in related issues, both parties will continue to coordinate with each other.

Feminist Society also encourages law enforcers who handle all stages of the law enforcement process in the related case to be able to have a more victim and human rights perspective so that the case can be clarified. This is in accordance with the provisions of Article 21 of Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Criminal Acts of Sexual Violence which mandates that investigators, public prosecutors, and judges who handle cases of sexual violence must have the competence to handle cases from a human rights and victim perspective.

If you have any case related to gender equality or feminist issues and you need either advocacy assistance, counseling, support for campaign media, or some kind of that, feel free to contact us by this section. All of those things are free, you do not need to pay anything, it is our commitment to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights through education and advocacy.

You can also contact us on:

Instagram            : @feministsociety.id

Email                   : fem.official7@gmail.com

 

Revealing Ika Lailatun Nikmah’s Struggle in Pursuing Higher Education: Challenges for Javanese Women in Accessing Education

Women's Struggle in Pursuing Higher Education

Feminist Society - Questions and statements such as “Why do women go to college” and “Women don’t need to go to college, because men will feel inferior” are common things heard by Ika Lailatun Nikmah (familiarly called Ela) who grew up in a neighborhood that still views women as only having 3 tasks, namely masak, macak, and manak (cooking, dressing up, and giving birth to children). These views are a challenge for her in achieving higher education.

Ela is the first daughter born into a simple Javanese family, where getting an education up to college is the most expensive dream. Since she was a teenager, Ela has often seen how women in her area are considered less equal and do not have the same opportunities to access higher education as men. Ela sees a misconception in society that seems to place the right to education only for men. This is certainly contrary to the mandate of the constitution, where every citizen has the right to receive an education as mandated by Article 31 paragraph  (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

In her area, women are also often considered troublesome if they intend to continue their studies to college because the family must pay for their studies. Even worse, women in her area are often objectified as if they are used as a tool to improve the family's economy by being married to rich people.

This view is what strengthens Ela’s determination to continue her education to college in order to break the stereotype. Although at the beginning of the struggle to go to college, Ela faced many difficulties, such as parental blessing and also tuition fees. At first, her parents did not give her permission to continue college, where they thought that college was only for the upper middle class. So if she chose to go to college, her parents were worried that they would not be able to pay for her college until she finished, which would make the costs that had been spent also be in vain.

Based on these challenges, although in 2018 Ela had passed SPANPTKIN at one of the religious universities in Central Java, due to the very expensive tuition fees, she had to give up the campus and was willing to take a gap year to work in order to be able to finance her studies later.

At that time, Ela worked at a photocopy shop near her house for about 1 year. From that job she was able to save money to prepare for college fees and could meet other needs such as buying equipment needed in the college process later. In the second year, she decided to resign from her job and enroll in one of the religious colleges in Central Java. From that process, Ela was finally accepted at the campus with a KIP Kuliah scholarship that could fully finance her education and living expenses for 8 semesters of college.

Ela proved her efforts that women cannot be underestimated, even in her educational journey, she gave a very good record. She completed her studies in 3.5 years with Cum Laude predicate GPA 3.80 out of 4.00. In the process of her studies, Ela was a student who was active in organizations and participated in various competitions at the local, national, and international levels. She was able to balance her academic and non-academic affairs during her studies.

In fact, she once made an extraordinary achievement when she and her team participated in the Student Creativity Program (PKM) in Entrepreneurship in 2021. Where they made an innovation in transferring carved media onto fabric in the form of a hijab with a typical Jepara carved motif decorated with a quote from R.A Kartini's letter in the book "Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang". This innovation succeeded in getting them a grant and was successfully registered as Intellectual Property Rights by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia.

Currently, Ela is doing an internship at one of the institutions on her campus, while continuing to hone her skills in writing. In 2024, Ela successfully published a journal on the perspective of gender equality published in the Journal of Gender and Social Inclusion Studies. Apart from scientific works, she is also active in writing short stories and poems which she often publishes on Wattpad and Blog.

From this incredible journey, it finally led Ela to become the first graduate in her family. Ela managed to prove to her parents that education is important and with knowledge we can change the situation. As the hadith narrated by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidzi:

"Indeed, the Prophets did not pass on dinars and dirhams, in fact, they only passed on knowledge, whoever has taken it, has taken a large portion".

You can also read: ARN’s Journey Goes Beyond the Comfort Zone: From A Teenage Who Received Verbal and Physical Bullying to Becoming A Career Woman Who Is the Backbone of the Family

Ela always advises women out there who are trying to achieve their dreams to never give up easily in achieving their dreams and continuing their education. "Dreams will never fail, they just look for the right time and wait for us to be ready" — said Ela.

Ela’s extraordinary journey in proving herself, in breaking the stigma of women is a movement for women's emancipation that must continue to be voiced and continue to be an example for all women out there. That education is everyone's right regardless of whether they are male or female. Women must have equal access to education. Hopefully, Ela’s struggle in continuing her studies to college will continue to echo in every corner of the inner eyes of other women.

In our section with Ela, we finally agreed on several crucial things, where Feminist Society will always support her and we also agreed to collaborate in the future in advocating and voicing the right to education for women.

If you have any case related to gender equality or feminist issues and you need either advocacy assistance, counseling, support for campaign media, or some kind of that, feel free to contact us by this section. All of those things are free, you do not need to pay anything, it is our commitment to promote progress in gender equality and women’s rights activism through education and advocacy.

You can also contact us on:

Instagram            : @feministsociety.id

Email                  : fem.official7@gmail.com