Careers and Women in Indonesia: Challenges and Progress

David Altman, PhD, Chief Research and Innovation Officer at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), has noted, “The journey to elevate women is not just a moral imperative; it is a strategic necessity.”

The World Economic Forum reports that closing the gender gap will take 149 years in South Asia and 189 years in East Asia and the Pacific. Women remain underrepresented in top positions across both the private and public sectors. According to Fortune, women accounted for only 10.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs in 2023. It is clear that the lack of progress is not due to a lack of ambition among women.

Despite advancements in education and employment opportunities, women in Indonesia still face significant challenges in career development. The female labor force participation rate was around 53% in 2021, a figure that has seen little change over the past two decades. Many women are stuck in low-productivity and low-paying jobs, and the gender gap in labor force participation remains one of the largest in the country.

A significant number of women leave the workforce after marriage and childbirth. The difficulty of balancing childcare responsibilities with work obligations is a major obstacle to their productivity. The shortage of quality childcare services, lack of family support, and cultural values that prioritize women as primary caregivers force many women to leave their jobs.

Research conducted by CCL, in collaboration with Prasmul-eli, underscores the issue of women's leadership in the Asia Pacific region. The study, titled “Elevate The System: We do not need to change women — we need to change systems,” reveals that Indonesian women with families often handle most domestic responsibilities, leading to burnout and fatigue. The prioritization of family remains a significant barrier to women's career advancement.

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Gardhika Waskita Pakqi
Resident Assessor prasmul-eli