21 April marks Kartini Day in Indonesia, an appropriate moment to reflect Raden Adjeng Kartini’s advocacy for Indonesian women’s rights and education, the progress that has been made on both fronts and the journey that remains. In the 120 years since Kartini’s passing, Indonesia has made great strides in the gender equality of education, yet a large gap still needs to be closed for this to be translated in the workforce.
Significant strides have been made in equalising education for girls
The gender gap in education completion and enrolment has been closed
Since 2000, Indonesia has prioritised educational accessibility that ensures equal access to education for boys and girls through gender mainstreaming in national planning and programming as well as ministerial-level strategic plans.
Indonesian girls outperform boys at school
Indonesia is one of the few countries where girls outperform boys by 10 points in mathematics and 25 points in reading (though Indonesia’s overall scores remain relatively low).
Yet female labour force participation has stalled and gender gaps persist
Women are overrepresented in unpaid work
Women are concentrated in sectors with high informality, low pay and poor working conditions. Women often work with no pay or seasonal earnings, exposing them to a higher risk of economic insecurity.
The education-work transition and family responsibilities have a big impact on women’s labour force participation
The 30-percentage point gender gap in male and female labour force participation originates from the education-work transition and lower labour market attachment, with far-reaching consequences for economic security.
The lack of care infrastructure is an impediment for women
The availability of high quality, affordable care options – which are essential to support women in the workforce – varies greatly across Indonesia.
Traditional views about gender norms remain pervasive
Gender norms, or societal expectations about how people should behave based on their gender, explain gender gaps in labour force participation globally. Beliefs around these norms, portraying men as the breadwinner and women as responsible for home and childcare, influence attitudes and behaviour both at home and in workplaces.
Closing the labour force gender gap can deliver significant economic gains
Apart from the social imperative, unlocking the potential of women can drive the productivity and economic growth needed to achieve Vision 2045. Raising the female labour force participation rate to 70% by 2045 could elevate Indonesia’s per capita GDP by as much as 11.84%.
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