In a world today where the collective voices of women are calling for equality on all economic and domestic fronts, the female empowerment movement in Indonesia has Raden Ajeng Kartini or Ibu Kartini, as she is fondly known, to thank for blazing the trail and laying the groundwork years ago.
Since 1964, April 21 in Indonesia is marked as Kartini Day to commemorate the life of Kartini and celebrate the progress she made toward the emancipation of women in the country. The celebration is significant in promoting women’s rights and empowerment. Before Ibu Kartini’s push, Indonesian women had limited rights, with only a few fortunate enough to attain education.
Kartini, born in 1879 to a wealthy and respected family, was fortunate to receive an education but was isolated at twelve. During this time, she focused on self-education and corresponded with her Dutch friends. In 1903, Kartini married a regency chief. Despite societal constraints, she opened a school for girls, personally managing it until her early death in 1904. Although she lived only to 25, she empowered Indonesian women and worked towards gender equality.
APP recognizes the significance of Kartini Day and aims to increase women's leadership in the industry. We participated in G20 Empower, a program aiding private sector companies in G20 countries to overcome barriers to women’s leadership. Furthermore, APP annually progresses towards increasing women's representation in management as part of the SRV 2030 goals. One such beneficiary of APP's support is Silvia from our Harvesting division.
Despite aspiring to study medicine, Silvia proceeded to pursue Agriculture at a public university in Pontianak, the only remotely related field. Now, she strives to inspire impact at APP, empowering women and fostering female leadership.
Silvia began in administrative work at APP in 1997. Overtime, her potential was recognised by someone who eventually became her mentor. In 2005, her reporting manager Pak Yap guided her to the harvesting department in Riau, although it meant that she was the sole woman among all employees. Her uniqueness contributed to the value she provided and further motivated her. Silvia focused on three key factors driving her success at APP: skills, opportunities, and chemistry.
With her mentor's assistance, Silvia emerged as a hidden gem in the industry, her performance and capabilities recognized, empowering her as a woman at APP.
"What I could tell young women today who may be hesitant to enter certain fields of work is that these days there’s nothing impossible for us women. I think the door is wide open for us, especially because we are known to be multi-talented and multitaskers. I believe women are more thorough in our work. Additionally, because we tend to be more communicative, male-dominated workplaces become livelier with our presence. I'm saying we can bring a different colour, a different energy to workplaces. Don’t hesitate to seize every opportunity while you’re young," says Silvia.
Silvia's journey and experience at APP aim to enlighten and encourage women who may face or fear discrimination and stereotypes to realise that one’s gender does not determine one’s capabilities and knowledge. APP empowers women in the industry by providing opportunities to create a positive work environment where they can thrive as leaders and impact society.