The ILO and Jurnal Perempuan launched the first joint edition titled “Women Workers in the Midst of Pandemic and Technology Change”, highlighting the plight of women workers in dealing with fast changing of employment and world of work condition and pattern due to the COVID-19 pandemic, technological advancement, globalization and other factors. The launch, held on 24 August, also marked the ILO’s continuous effort to promote equal gender equality and employment opportunity.

Key issues highlighted by this joint edition included the strategy to eliminate barriers for woman workforce, the needs of lactation for female journalists, working from home as a “new normal” for women workers and strengthening of women’s access to vocational training in the area of information, technology and communication, the elimination of workplace violence and harassment and the representation of women in trade unions.

Michiko Miyamoto, Country Director of the ILO for Indonesia, stated that the ILO focuses on building forward fairer that also means bringing gender equality to the core of the recovery effort. It is in line with the ILO Resolution concerning a global call to action for a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient.

“Therefore, efforts should be directed towards putting in place gender-responsive strategies aiming at full, productive and freely chosen employment and decent work for all, with a focus on the needs of the most vulnerable and hardest hit by the pandemic,” she said.

During the interactive discussion, Elly R. Silaban, President of the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions (KSBSI), admitted that it was not easy to boost women leadership in trade unions. As a result, women issues have not yet well accommodated and well addressed at the workplaces. “We need to urge stronger representation of women in the unions,” she said.

In agreement, Maya Juwita, Executive Director of Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment, explained that in addition to the representation, it was important for women to be adaptive. “Women need to adapt with the technological advancement while at the same time they also need to lessen the adverse impacts. Teleworking due to the pandemic, for example, has not only increased domestic violence, but also caused growing mental health issues as women have to bear double or triple burdens,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Asfinawati, Director of Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, reminded the participants about various employment cases faced by women workers. She also questioned employment regulations that have not yet taken the side of women workers.

“The pandemic has demonstrated the existence of inequality at the workplaces. Women workers tend to be the first losing their jobs during the time of crisis as they do not consider as main breadwinners. Thus, we continue to urge the establishment of a workers’ call centre at the police stations to help handling workers complaints and industrial disputes, especially during the pandemic and recent technology change.”

To strengthen the equality at workplace, Lusiani Julia, ILO’s programme officer, underscored the importance of ILO’s Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment. Women were more affected by culture, norms and policies. “Thus, we need to ensure workplaces integrate this free of violence and harassment approach in their policies. This will help the realization of equal workplaces that are free from gender-based violence and harassment.”

Jurnal perempuan is part of the Jurnal Perempuan Foundation, a non -profit organization established in 1995. The foundation specialises in research, publication and education, advancing gender equality in Indonesia.

The live streaming of the launch of joint edition Jurnal Perempuan can be viewed on ILO TV Indonesia