Written by Mikhael Sianturi, Content Writer Intern in Project Child Indonesia
Today is International Women’s Day! Celebrated every 8th of March, the day is commemorated to remind ourselves that many women out there are suffering. Many suffer in many aspects, either financial, sexual, hierarchical, or other aspects. It is a balance that many find hard to balance even more due to strong patriarchy in the society.
However, that does not mean that feminism is not growing as time passes. What has feminism achieved that we haven’t necessarily recognized?
To give a picture from different places, we have gathered several news regarding some women and their achievements that not a lot have achieved yet. The first news came from the automotive world, specifically from a British car manufacturer, McLaren Automotive.
Whenever one thinks of the word ‘Engineer’, a male will most likely pop in the mind since many engineers out there are male. However, Ella Podmore is an example that females can be engineers as well, and a really good one. Other than the fact that she works for McLaren Automotive, a car brand known for their racing heritage, she was also crowned as the Young Woman Engineer of the year.
Another news from the west is certainly one that many know. Kamala Harris recently won the position for the vice presidential seat of the United States of America. Alongside her partner, President Joe Biden, she is the first black woman to become the vice president of the country. Defeating the pair of Donald Trump and Mike Pence, Kamala shows that females around the world can indeed do it, regardless of the obstacles ahead.
What about news from our own country? There is progress, and it is looking bright!
Digitalized era comes with a lot of benefits, including its incredible ability to adapt. One example is this, an online platform for reporting domestic violence. Many women and children in Indonesia suffer from it. Even though there is already a law that prohibits domestic violence from happening and states the heavy punishment from doing it, many are still invisible or simply get away from justice.
KONEKSI is a method of fighting against domestic violence. It is a simple concept. Those who suffer from it can simply make a contact through the listed website and get help from the legal authority. The best thing about this platform is the fact that it is free of charge!
The next inspiring story is another role model people can look up to. A teacher who goes by the name Dahlia is reportedly suffering from breast cancer. Despite that, Dahlia keeps on teaching the youngsters in her school, MIN 1 West Tanjung Jabung in Jambi. Dahlia says that she has a personal satisfaction for continuing on teaching her students. This is her only fuel for her spirit to keep on teaching.
Another news is from the political world. The well-known Ministry of Finance, Sri Mulyani, is back on a politician’s tail for his massive debt. Bambang Trihatmojo, the son of the country’s deceased ex-president Soeharto, currently possesses a debt of 50 billion rupiah. This is due to financial reasons during his reign as the head of consortium of host partners for the 1997 Sea Games.
For this debt, he had a travel ban from the end of 2019 to the end of 2020. He accused Sri Mulyani for it and brought the case to the administrative court. However, the travel ban was pronounced fair, allowing Sri Mulyani to proceed with the case.
Overall, to not give up seems to be the name of the game for the listed events above. With this compilation, we hope that we’ve lifted your chin up to face the world proudly.
References:
Harususilo, Y. (2021, March 05). Kisah Ibu Guru DAHLIA: DIVONIS Kanker PAYUDARA, Tetap SEMANGAT WUJUDKAN Impian siswa. Retrieved March 07, 2021, from https://www.kompas.com/edu/read/2021/03/05/130317171/kisah-ibu-guru-dahlia-divonis-kanker-payudara-tetap-semangat-wujudkan-impian?page=1
Kusuma, H. (n.d.). Sri Mulyani Menang, Kemenkeu LANJUT TAGIH Utang Anak soeharto. Retrieved March 07, 2021, from https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-5482419/sri-mulyani-menang-kemenkeu-lanjut-tagih-utang-anak-soeharto/1
