Asia Blogging Network

March 8th is international women’s day.

Indonesian culture and laws reflect a utopian message that men and women live in harmony, in an environment that each gender understands and executes their responsibilities wisely. In this notion, men serve as the heads of the family, the protectors, and the breadwinners, while women as the caretakers of the family members and caring mothers. Alas, not everyone is wise both as a person and an individual of a certain gender, the world is not perfect, and Indonesia is not a utopia, thus such image of perfection is merely a mirage, which comes with consequences.

Today is the 21st century, the era of globalization that Joseph E. Stiglitz has been advocating for fair trade. It is the era in which Web 2.0 citizen journalism has emerged into citizen diplomacy with its real-time technological apparatus that have changed the global culture on digerati and quotidian communities’ levels. It is the era in which women have to work as hard as, or even harder than men, to make differences at world level, not merely for their own families. It is the era that women are equally important politically, socially, economically, and individually.

Yet we can see clearly that Indonesia has not reached a point where both genders unite as one to thrust the nation’s well-being through individual contributions, as there are discriminatory laws and discriminatory actions against women based on various imbalanced, unjust, and unfair fundamentals. Such conditions hinder Indonesia as a nation to strive forward by optimizing, if not maximizing its human capital, of which half of the population are females, as cited from CIA Factbook.

According to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Indonesia’s constitution guarantees the equality of women, which is good news. However, there are many laws that clearly discriminate women from the other gender. Cited from UNIFEM, “These laws include family and marriage, including polygamy; age for marriage; divorce and the requirement that a wife obtain her husband’s consent for a passport; economic rights, including ownership and inheritance of land; access to loans and credits; entitlement to social, health and other benefits in the labor sector and the requirement that a wife obtain her husband’s consent for night employment; health, including the requirement that the wife obtain her husband’s consent with regard to sterilization or abortion, even when her life is in danger. As workers, women generally receive lower wages than men; in some industries, female employees are hired as daily laborers, allowing employers to avoid the extension of benefits. Women’s literacy rates and health status are generally lower than men’s. Muslim women face particular obstacles to equality before shari’a courts.”

Working women of all socio-economic-religio statuses also must face higher taxation according to Law no. 17/2000, in which they will be paying the undeducted tax rate as “singles” unless they can show a proof, which must be signed and approved by their husbands and sub-district authorities that they indeed carry the financial burden of the family.

Based on the required consent from husbands for married women to engage in public and private agreements while men have full authority to act on their own without any restrictions, it is evident that the Indonesian law, which is a reflection of the culture, places men’s status above women. In short, women in Indonesia are “the other gender.” The sidekick. The helper. The assistant. The one who must obey.

Does it make any sense in today’s world? There are some arguments as of why women are placed “under the protection” of men. Women have reproductive functions that should be protected. Women are “weaker” biologically. Women are destined by the Divine Power, whoever or whatever the definition is, to be the gatekeeper and the caretaker of homes and families. Women are men’s lovers; women are men’s sweethearts whom they adore so much, thus should always be within the protection, care, and supervision of men so they can make sure that women are taken care for.

Those arguments may sound making some sense to those who romanticize gender relationship. Nonetheless, they place women in the so-called “golden cage,” or better yet “invisible cage.” Such arguments usually serve as the foundations of religious, legal, and cultural acts against women, be they acknowledged officially, consciously, or not. And such cage is confinement in its full meaning of the word.

Indonesia has ratified UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1980. CEDAW itself is adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly and often described as an international bill of rights for women. It consists of a preamble and 30 articles, and defines what constitutes discrimination against women. In addition, it sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.

Cited from the United Nation’s site, The Convention defines discrimination against women as “…any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.”

Thus, the logical and legal consequence of accepting the Convention is committing itself to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination against women in all forms.

First, to incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women. Second, to establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination. At last, to ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises. We are yet to see the first measure to take place.

At last, while it may take years for Indonesian government to make changes and adjustments to existing laws, the society should be aware of shifting roles between the two genders. The old paradigm that the man of the house is the sole provider and the sole protector of the family should be mindfully and wisely changed, even though not in all families. Many women have to become breadwinners, be they choose so or not. And whatever their reasons are, it is time for the society to accept this phenomenon and to acknowledge them as equal partners.

It is not about being feminists, but more urgently, is about being acknowledged as equal human beings. In addition, today’s men should also be aware of their share in the role shift: the rise of masculinism.

A true man is not one who loves his woman by confining her with his authority, but one who frees her and wishes her a responsible independence.

Having been here for over 3 years, seeing the reality that is beyond bites, I must say that it has never been easy to be women in Liberia. With all sort of task to keep the family in one piece and at often times playing the role of a bread-winner, struggling to make a living.

Some whom I met have lost their spouse, because of the war or never came back for a lot of different reasons. Those who decided to comeback from being refugees, has to start from scratch back to square one building what the can get one day at a time. Truly an amazing test, the strong will and determination made them capable and later on succeeded in making things better. Some started to open a small business selling stuffs, or similar - like this lady with her breakfast stand, catering scrambled egg and a cup of hot-choco in the morning for those left the house without breakfast while wait for the public transportation they go for a quick bite and gulp.

I see many women taking their kids along to their daily dwelling; babies are often carried on their back. I guess mommy has to do some work to make a living. Some shots below could tell of how the trouble and difficulties women have to make in their daily life.

This situation was once a dark-traumatic one. As Liberia went through a brutal armed conflict, violence against women was beyond belief.

Violence against women is defined by the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 1993, as “any act of gender-based violence (GBV) that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”. It is a form of gender-based violence and includes sexual violence.

A story from the DR Congo from IRIN Website:

As Elizabeth and her captors arrived at the militia camp, she realized that dozens of other girls had also been kidnapped. “When we got there we were so many,” she said. “We were taken into the bush, when a big man came and took me.”

Life with the Mayi Mayi, an ethnic milita, was a nightmare of almost continuous abuse. “All they did was come and ‘take’ us often. They used to tie up the women and tie their husbands to trees then take us [the girls],” the 17-year-old told IRIN.” I stayed with them for so long and it didn’t matter any more who took me.”

Elizabeth’s ordeal happened in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but it could well have been in Sierra Leone, Liberia or a variety of other countries. Wherever there is armed conflict, there are stories like hers, stories of rape, of trauma; stories of unimaginable horror, of girls and women who have been gang-raped, held indefinitely as sex-slaves, beaten, mutilated, killed. Sometimes the victims are in their 70s or 80s, sometimes they are younger women, or teenagers. Some are as young as six months old.

It is indeed a very tragic and awful experience.

In Liberia, nowadays more attention has been given to the empowerment of women, which to include protection to women’s right against domestic violence and gender-based violence. As public campaign has been actively promoted through the media, more women are now understands of their rights and education to girls are actively encouraged.

Sexual violence includes sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. It refers to any act, attempt, or threat of a sexual nature that result, or is likely to result in, physical, psychological and emotional harm. Sexual violence is a form of gender-based violence.

Expanded Definition of Sexual and Gender-based Violence used by the UNHCR and implementing partners, Article 2 of the UN General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (1993):

“Violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation;
2. Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution;
3. Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.”

As UN staff working in the mission, we are also being given training on GBV and related issues. I am confident that days to come, Liberia will get much better and the women will be well empowered.