MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Secretary of the ‘Aisyiyah Tri Hastuti Nur Rochimah stated that stereotypes and power imbalances continue to be major obstacles to gender equality.
“Despite having laws against domestic violence, cases remain high. In the digital age, online violence is also increasing. This is largely due to persistent gender stereotypes and unequal power relations,” said Tri, who also coordinates the INKLUSI Program, in the webinar to mark International Women’s Day 2025 on Saturday, March 8.
Tri also pointed out that women face growing challenges in environmental issues, particularly due to large-scale developments.
“Women are being pushed aside by factories and so-called strategic projects. These developments often harm women and children the most,” she explained in the webinar on ‘Accelerate Action: Speed Up Efforts for Justice and Gender Equality.’
Tri stressed that International Women’s Day is a time to reflect and take action.
“Solving these issues requires teamwork from all sectors—youth, civil society, and the government. We must support one another because improving women’s welfare is a long-term struggle,” said Tri.
Meanwhile, Adriana Venny, a board member of the Women’s Participation Institute, discussed the global Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), a framework for women’s empowerment and gender equality. One of the key issues she raised was the low number of women in parliament. Indonesia has yet to meet the 30% representation target, with the current figure at only 21%.
“Most countries have never reached 30% female representation in parliament, including Indonesia. Thus, Indonesia shouldn’t be proud of its 21%. It has never met the 30% benchmark in its history,” said Venny.
She urged for better monitoring of Indonesia’s commitments to the BPfA, as changes in politics and government affect gender equality efforts.
“It’s important for Indonesia to have a strong system for tracking its progress, involving civil society organizations in reviewing and reporting on its commitments to gender equality and women’s rights,” she emphasized.
The event also featured Aeshnina Azzahra, a young environmental activist, who highlighted how pollution disproportionately affects women and stressed the importance of youth involvement in addressing environmental issues. Wulandari Ney, Chairperson of the Women’s Division of the Muhammadiyah Student Association (IPM), discussed how digitalization has contributed to gender-based violence.
Sakdiyah Ma’ruf, Indonesia’s first Muslim female stand-up comedian, brought humor into the conversation, addressing gender inequality in everyday life. She pointed out how government policies sometimes hinder women’s access to healthcare, sharing a story about a maternity exercise program at a health center that was halted due to funding delays.
“I thought budget cuts were a recent issue, but it turns out they’ve been affecting women’s healthcare for a long time,” she said.
