5 Ways to Build Gender Equality in the World of Work

Gender equality in the world of work is not trivial and is always worth fighting for. As explained by the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Bintang Puspayoga in 2021, the importance of gender equality in the world of work is not only for companies but also for the nation’s economy. This is because research from the International Labor Organization (ILO) shows that gender equality in the work environment can increase company profits by 5-10%.

Furthermore, cases of gender equality in the world of work have succeeded in increasing employee performance, productivity, innovation and creativity by 66%. Meanwhile, the number and interest of consumers in the company’s products also increased by 46%. This example of gender equality in work shows that the role and potential of women cannot be underestimated. Gender equality means giving equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities to men and women. Whether it’s in work or daily affairs, men and women should have the same position and authority.

How to Realize Gender Equality in the World of Work

Fulfilling Labor Rights

One of the basic rights of an employee is leave. For women and men they have parents in their families, apart from maternity leave for women. Providing postnatal leave for husbands is also necessary to support their role as fathers. Do not forget that the right to leave during menstruation and miscarriage is also important for female employees to fulfill.

Involving Women in Decision Making

Often women are sidelined when it comes to leading. While women have the same capacity both in leading and making decisions. This involvement also includes organizations within the company, namely labor unions. By placing women in trade unions, women’s rights and obligations can be maintained and not forgotten.

Factors Causing Gender Problems to Occur

Gender is a trait inherent in men and women. Gender shows the distribution of roles, positions, and tasks between men and women based on their characteristics, quoted from the PPKN Class 9 Middle School Curriculum 2013 Book.

Gender issues in Indonesian society, in the form of general issues related to gender, such as domestic violence, traditions, customs, and various problems in social relations.

Quoting the page here, factors that cause gender problems include:

1. Marginalization (economic marginalization)

Economic impoverishment is experienced by many village women who work as farmers, this starts from the assumption that farming is identical to the male profession.

Outside of farming work, women’s work is considered to be lower, which has an impact on the difference in salaries received by women and men.

2. Subordination (secondary)

Subordination to one sex is the treatment of women second.

Community leaders only deserve to be held by men, women can only become leaders only to the extent of their people (fellow women).

3. The patriarchal culture that develops in society

Patriarchal culture considers men to naturally have superiority over women in personal, family, community and state life.