The commemoration of International Women's Day this year is the most different from previous years. This day, which is always commemorated every March 8, is now being celebrated in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic situation which has entered its one year of age in Indonesia. Along with adjusting all activities carried out during the Pandemic through online activities, the commemoration of International Women's Day is also filled more with digital spaces. Narratives about women, calls for a social life that is gender-equal and more inclusive are scattered in these spaces.

The Wahid Foundation as a civil society organization that is also concerned about fighting for women's issues and gender equality, also commemorates International Women's Day through an online space by campaigning for equality and anti-gender discrimination.

Hold a Female Initiator Class

Through one of its programs Women Participation for Inclusive Society (WISE) - GUYUB in collaboration with UN Woman since 2017, the Wahid Foundation strengthens the implementation of Peaceful Villages by promoting gender responsive community mechanisms (women and men) to promote a peaceful and justice community. gender.

In this program, the Wahid Foundation involves many elements of society, one of which is the women's group and also the youth of Damai Village as well as other communities such as Bhabinkamtibmas, village officials, and community leaders in Damai Village. Through this program, Wahid Foundation held This Class for Women Initiators (KIP) on February 20 through an online network. The purpose of these activities is to strengthen the youths of Damai Village in East Java, namely from Candirenggo Village, Sidomulyo Village, Prancak Village, and Guluk-Guluk Village to strengthen the capacity of young women and build their initiatives so that they are more courageous to speak out through effective and creative campaigns in Indonesia. media on issues of equality, gender justice and tolerance that specifically counter gender-discriminatory narratives, and generally counter hate speech and health hoaxes during the Pandemic.

Andromeda, one of the young women from Candirenggo Village, Batu, Malang, who participated in the Women Inspirator Class, admitted that she benefited a lot from this activity. He feels challenged when he finds out that there are many discriminatory practices in the name of gender in his environment. "This activity has given me a lot of insight that the discriminatory practices in the name of gender that I have seen in our daily activities should be eliminated," said Andromeda when asked what benefits he got from the activities of the Women's Initiator Class.

Campaign for Gender Equality and Anti Discrimination

Starting from the beginning of March to Monday (22/04/2021) young women from 4 Peaceful Villages who have participated in the Women's Initiator Class have carried out campaigns through their respective social media voicing equality and anti-gender discrimination.

They have created and disseminated various content on women's issues and discrimination on behalf of gender through social media. Cinara, a young woman from Desa Damai Sidomulyo said, under the focus of the content she created with other young women in her village was content about the importance of protecting and empowering women and motivation so that women can do anything without thinking about the stigma from society that women must work and have careers in the domestic sphere. .

"I along with other young women from Sidomulyo village, through the content we create, want to voice the importance of equality, protection of women from physical and mental violence, and also the importance of women's readiness and ability to do anything without thinking about the stigma of society," said Cinara when asked the reason behind the creation. content about women's issues.

The campaign they are currently doing is planned to last until the end of next March.

International Women's Day Momentum Awakening of Women

International Women's Day is a momentum for the awakening of women. A number of hopes were expressed by many parties, including the young women of the Damai Village from Prancak Village in Sumenep, Madura.

Ilhafa, one of the young women from Damai Prancak Village expressed her hope that women can be more confident in stepping up and answering global challenges that are happening today.

"For me, this year's IWD is a momentum to be more confident as a woman and hopefully it can slowly answer the challenges of an era where equality between men and women is an absolute thing when this happens," said Ilhafa expressing his hope in welcoming International Women's Day. This 2021.

"Hopefully IWD is not merely ceremonial," Ilhafa continued, "The spirit of women's day must be preserved until it becomes a culture and we can continue to pass it on to the next generation." Ilhafa firmly expressed his hopes.

It is hoped that the momentum for International Women's Day can be a catalyst for all parties to reduce the patriarchal culture that has been rooted in society to finally make the situation of social life more equal and inclusive. In addition to campaigning for gender equality and queuing for discrimination on behalf of gender, the Youth of Damai Village and the Wahid Foundation also campaign for the values of tolerance.