In the world of work, women face tougher challenges than the men due to several factors such as: being considered to do low-quality work that leads to lower wages, smaller opportunities for future development, and various other situations. Some of these realities become an understanding for women to see the gaps in the  world of work and they are equipped to face the challenges of a tougher world of work. By using a new perspective, women become open-minded learners to be more qualified and to be able to find alternative jobs based on their hobbies and interests. Apart from that, women can also be active in creating activities in their communities.

The following are some experiences and opinions from Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta female activists who work in their hometowns and other areas.

Deby Koro Dimu. She works as a teacher in the hinterland of Papua, specifically in Afu-afu, Teluk Arguni Atas. The village can be reached from Kaimana using a speed boat for four hours. She comes from the Sabu island, East Nusa Tenggara. After graduating majoring in Mathematics and Natural Sciences Education at a campus in Yogyakarta, she applied as a teacher and was placed in West Papua.

Regarding women and the world of work, she revealed that there is always a comparison between women and men, sometimes women are the last option to get equal opportunities, for example, to become leaders, related to representatives and decision-makers. It happen due to cultural influences and societal perceptions where women are considered weak, especially in the remote areas, because women tend to be housewives and have limited formal workspace.

She found enlightenment when she entered the world of work and discovered her identity to explore a wider world and challenge herself to manage several difficult situations independently that she previously thought she was unable to handle. For example, when she got a work opportunity and made the decision to work far away, in Kaimana, West Papua. In the place where she works, she found valuable things, because when women have the same space as men, it cannot be denied that a job will be more inclusive, so it is necessary to ensure that when women are involved, the person remains safe, comfortable and able to do.

Susana Sinar. She reveals her experiences regarding women and the world of work. Initially, she worked in a souvenir shop in Labuanbajo. While working, she felt comfortable because she received appreciation and good responses in society and the work environment. She worked as a marketing staff after going through several open selection stages which were attended by men and women. In her career, Susana decided to change professions. Currently, she works at the Kaju Wangi village office, Elar District, East Manggarai. She was part of five women of fourteen village officials. According to her, this condition is a kind of improvement since women are involved in the village development process.

From her experience, currently, there are no more obstacles for women to work, there are various job opportunities, it just depends on how they optimize their abilities or not. During her time working in companies and government, Susana saw that when someone has abilities and skills, they will be accepted, appreciated, and trusted, so she reminded women fellows the importance of self-improvement, and having the courage to process and compete.

Mutiara Srikandi. She revealed the perception in her area that women have limits; first, the age limit for marriage; and second, the boundaries for career. Conventional culture, which places men as the ones who must be taken care of and respected, is an obstacle for women to change their perceptions to be more advanced. It is an irony that if a woman has a better career, she will be the one to blame, also if she has a higher education, the woman can be blamed because of the social stigma that  women are there to serve and to take care of the family.

According to her, ideally, women need to have space to develop, get wider trust, and have their aspirations heard, so they can do things differently and better, and even make breakthroughs. Mutiara herself is an energetic young activist, an alumnus of Interior Design at a campus in Yogyakarta, and active at Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta while still studying in Yogyakarta. Currently, she lives in Bandung and runs a business under the Heloska.id brand and  she is also starting an English course.

Based on the experiences of several young women above, when women find the strength to develop in responding to work challenges, they break the stigma about women are weak and limited, even women can make breakthroughs beyond what the public thinks. Let’s young people, especially women, be brave and be ready to face the challenges of the world of work ahead. Women definitely can.***