Today, Thursday March 8, is commemorated as International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD action coordinator Jumisih said that the women’s should not be banned from wearing an Islamic veil on campus.

Elise Dwi Ratnasari, Jakarta – There were still traces left over from the rain earlier in the morning. Although it was cloudy, it still felt hot under the intense heat of the sun.

Not many protesters had gathered yet but the enthusiasm shown by the women from various different organisations and backgrounds was already ablaze.

Rizki Halim, Yogya – Dozens of women held a rally at the Zero Kilometre point in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) on Thursday March 8.

Taking up the spirit of feminism, the women, who came from a number of different groups, took up issues related to gender equality in Indonesia.

Lia Wanadriani Santosa, Jakarta – Women from the Social Coalition for Disabled People (KMPD) are calling on the public to stop the practice of forced contraception for people with disabilities, particularly women.

Qadri Prartiwi, Jayapura – Commemorating International Women’s Day (IWD), women activists and organisations in West Papua took to the streets in the Abepura area of Jayapura city and surrounds.

Hanif Mustafa, Bandar Lampung – International Women’s Day (IWD) in the North Sumatra city of Bandar Lampung was commemorated in a number of different ways.

Anom Prihantoro, Jakarta – International Women’s Day (IWD), which was commemorated in Jakarta on Thursday, demanded equality for women in all spheres of life, including the workplace.

Eva Safitri, Jakarta – Women activists from a number of different organisations commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) with demands for equality and opposing discrimination, violence, intolerance and poverty.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, convicted of the murder of renowned human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, has joined Tommy Suharto’s new Working Party.

Hendra Friana – “I was handcuffed and forced into a vehicle, and all before being shown an arrest warrant”.

22-year-old Muhammad Hisbun Payu related this story to Tirto by phone from the Central Java police headquarters (Mapolda) on Monday March 5.

The new policy by the Yogyakarta Islamic State University (UIN) banning students from wearing a niqab while studying on campus has attracted support and opposition from the public.

Hendra Friana – Muhammad Hisbun Payu (Is), an environmental activist from Sukoharjo in Central Java, was arrested by police in front of the Alfamidi minimarket in the Lenteng Agung area of South Jakarta on Sunday March 4.

Putri Puspita, Bandung – In welcoming International Women’s Day (IWD) which falls on March 8, a number of different communities in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung have taken part in the Women’s March action.

Denpasar – “Women united can never be defeated, the women’s movement cannot be stopped”.

This was what was shouted by protesters in the Bali Women’s March under the hash tag #lawanbersama (Fighting Together) during a rally on Car Free Day in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Sunday morning March 4.

Hilda Meilisa Rinanda, Surabaya – Women’s rights activists held a Women’s March on Car Free Day at the Bungkul Park in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Sunday March 4.

The action, which was held for the first time in Surabaya, was an expression of concern and opposition to discrimination against women.

Puput Tripeni Juniman, Jakarta – In the lead up to International Women’s Day (IWD), around 1 thousand people gathered in Jakarta on the morning of Saturday March 3 to hold the 2nd Jakarta Women’s March.

The murder of women or ‘femicide’ was one of the issues taken up by the 2018 Women’s March in Jakarta on Saturday March 3.

Viva democracy and equality!

March 8, 2018, is exactly 118 years since the Women’s Conference in Denmark which set March 8 as International Women’s Day (IWD).

Priska Sari Pratiwi, Jakarta – The issue of the alleged revival of the Indonesian Communism Party (PKI) has again reared its head with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo yet again being hit by allegations.

Muhyiddin, Jakarta – Activist and writer Taufik Ismail says that although the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) no longer exists in Indonesia it is currently starting to be revived in order to take revenge for the defeat of the PKI in 1965.