The living conditions of women who are the backbone of their families have worsened in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. They are struggling alone to shoulder the economic burden of their families.
By
SONYA HELLEN SINOMBOR
·5 minutes read
DOKUMENTASI RITA WATI SIRAIT
Rita Wati Sirait (47), women-headed household, in her shop in a fishing village in Tanjungbalai City, North Sumatra, Saturday (8/1/2020). Rita has been struggling alone to support her three children for eight years since her husband died.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS - In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the living conditions of women who have to act as the head of their families have worsened. Moreover, the fact that they are the backbone of the family often goes unrecognized. As a result, they are vulnerable to discrimination and poverty.
In fact, the number of women-headed households continues to increase from year-to-year, especially in conflict and disaster areas. According to data issued by Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the number of women-headed households reached 10.3 million or 15.7 percent of the total. Most of them lived below the poverty line and had low education (42.57 percent did not have a diploma). The largest number was found in West Nusa Tenggara, Aceh, Yogyakarta, South Sulawesi and East Java.
Women become the head of the family due to various factors, such as divorce, their husbands cannot support the family because of a physical disability or job loss, or because their husbands left without providing economic support. Some were unmarried women but have to shoulder the economic burden of the families. Many women also become the head of the household because their husbands became polygamists.
The state also does not see female heads of household as citizens who are subject to the recognition and protection of their rights.
The majority of the women became the heads of households because their husbands died (67.17 percent).
"Female household heads are often considered to be non-existence in certain contexts. At certain times, for example, during elections or when there is government assistance, their existence is made known for the sake of certain parties. But their existence is not recognized, "said Mia Siscawati, lecturer at the School of Strategic and Global Gender Studies at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta on Sunday (2/8/2020).
So far, female household heads have various backgrounds, economic classes, social classes, and marital status. Women who become heads of the households face multiple burdens and difficulties. As a divorcee, they experience stigma. Many also become the main breadwinners even though they have a husband but they are considered not the head of the family.
"So they are considered non-existent or unimportant by the community. The state also does not see female heads of household as citizens who are subject to the recognition and protection of their rights,” she said.
The denial of the existence of the female heads of household still continues until now because, culturally, a woman\'s presence is attached to her father or to her husband after she is married. A women acting as the head of a family is considered unusual. Even if recognized, they become objects that must be assisted and helped.
Women workers eat during break time at Pasar Pabean Market, Surabaya, East Java, Wednesday (4/20). Most of the women from Madura Island become transport workers to help the family economy. They are able to carry loads above their heads up to 80 kilograms.
Not recognized
The position of the female family heads is influenced by the motherhood concept, which places women as wives and mothers. Such a view puts women in a weak position. A number of women who have been left behind by their husbands or have not been supported for years often do not recognize themselves as family heads.
As the position of women is always attached to men, the profession of women who work such as farmers, fishermen or weavers is not recognized. Their profession, for example, is not stated in the ID cards. “The profession of many fisherwomen who struggle at sea is not stated in the KTP (ID cards). They are considered only as housewives," Mia said.
Nani Zulminarni, the director of the foundation for the empowerment of female household heads (Pekka), said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the condition of the women who headed households was worsening. "The worse ones are those related to the economy. The impact is so severe for the female household heads because they have to fight alone in facing the crisis, " she said.
According to Nani, the attention given to the female household heads is far from expectations despite the large number of women who have become the main breadwinner of the family. "They become the backbone of the family, who help the family members to survive," she added.
A number of poor women became heads of families, partly because of conflicts or migrating, and some other became heads of families because their marriages were not registered. They mostly live in poverty and don’t have a family card which can be used to apply for government’s social assistance.
Trends in the Number of Households Headed by Women 1985-2017
In society, the stigma of being a widow, for example, is still attached to some women household heads, especially those left by their husbands. "The stigma about widows still exists in society," said Nani, citing that some female family heads in certain regions were requested to obtain permission from village heads when they would leave the village.
The existence of the female household heads is not recognized by the government. BPS defines the head of the household as someone from the family members who becomes the primary source of economic support for the family or the person who is considered / appointed as the head of the household.
Meanwhile, the Pekka Foundation categorizes the female household heads as women who act as breadwinners, household managers, guardians and decision makers in the family.
Until now the Pekka foundation has 68,850 women members in 87 districts in 20 provinces. "The majority of the women household heads are those from the lower-middle class and earn less than Rp 1 million per month. They generally work in the informal sector, such as farm laborers, small traders, and domestic workers, "Nani said.
For Margaretha Boy (59), who has worked as a traditional cloth weaver in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) since her husband left her six years ago, having a status of a widow is not easy. The woman, who lives in Bunga Muda village, Lembata regency, NTT, still often receives a negative perception from the people, even though she has joined Pekka and is economically empowered.
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