Bandung – Activists from the Women’s Liberation Committee of Struggle (KPPP) held a rally to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on Wednesday March 8.

The action, which started at 2pm, was held in front of the Sate Building (Governor’s offices) on Jl. Diponegoro. The group brought banners reading “The Women’s Liberation Committee of Struggle: Women Unite, Fight for Democracy, Equality and Prosperity”.

They also brought posters of women figures who have fought for the birth of IWD which is commemorated on March 8 each year.

Visible were posters of Indonesian and international women figures, including among others, Marsinah, SK Trikurti, Kartini, Inggit Garnasih, Leila Khaled (Palestine), Clara Zetkin (Germany) and Camila Valejo (Chile).

The action was also enlivened with speeches, theatrical performances and the distribution of leaflets to drivers passing by the Sate Building.

“For me, International Women’s Day is a milestone of the women’s struggle, not just to be commemorated in a ceremonial way, such as by handing out flowers”, said action coordinator Gesia Nurlita.

Gesia said that to this day women are still in the grip of the capitalist system and a culture of patriarchy (men). “Commemorating this [IWD] must become a milestone in the struggle to fight the capitalist system and for women’s prosperity and equality”, she said.

The groups voiced 37 demands, including among others, wages for labour in the home, equal rights and treatment for women and men in the workplace, a 50 percent increase in the [minimum] wage and free, scientific and democratic education. (imn/pojokbandung)

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was “Perempuan Bandung Tuntut Upah untuk Ibu Rumah Tangga”.]

• International Women’s Day Indonesia – Archive of IWD reports from the Indonesian media

Source: http://bandung.pojoksatu.id/read/2017/03/08/perempuan-bandung-tuntut-upah-untuk-ibu-rumah-tangga/