All about Her

Millie Stephanie Lukito, CEO and Bureau Chief of Indonesia Tatler, hosts an event together with Patty Kaunang to celebrate the diversity of Indonesian cultures, especially when it comes to the world of women. Maina Harjani writes

A spotlight about women and their place in the global modern society today

Laughter rings in the air and glasses clink as elegant ladies in the many colours and styles of modern kebayas from all over Indonesia gather one night at Patty Kaunang’s home. It’s a time to celebrate life and its many facets, and, in this case, the beauty of a woman, with her variations of personalities within the many roles she holds.

Over the years, women have begun choosing career paths that were once dominated by their male peers, some of which include politics, entrepreneurship,

social organisations, education, sports, and the arts. However, the modern-day woman decides her own journey and does not settle for being overpowered by her male counterparts.

Toasting to the lives of modern-day women, Millie Stephanie Lukito, CEO and Bureau Chief of Mobiliari Group, the publisher of Indonesia Tatler, reveals the secret behind her many achievements. “Education is the key to success,” she said. Furthermore, Millie gave the prime example of Indonesia’s national heroine Raden Ajeng Kartini, who was born in 1879 in colonialera Jepara in Central Java. A pioneer in

the era of education for girls’ and women’s rights in Indonesia, Kartini was born into an aristocratic Javanese family when Java was part of the Dutch Colony in the Dutch East Indies. Unlike her privileged male peers, Kartini was pulled out of school at the age of 12 and secluded at home—a common practice among Javanese nobility.

In today’s Indonesia, such limitation to access education still happens, especially among underprivileged children; this renders the mission and vision of the charitable foundation Pansophia Nusantara to give free early childhood education to poor children in the country. Similarly,

“Kartini’s teachings about liberation mean that a woman must not forget her duties as a mother and a wife but instead Keep her needs and wants as a priority, too,” patty said.

Kartini was granted permission to establish a school for women in the east porch of the Rembang Regency Office complex.

Kartini may have died at the age of 24 in 1904, but her legacy truly lives on. To celebrate her spirit means to remind each other of the freedom that was bestowed upon them because of the courage of one woman. “Kartini’s teachings about liberation mean that a woman must not forget her duties as a mother and a wife but instead keep her needs and wants as a priority, too,” Patty said.

According to the United Nations Population Fund, in 2018, Indonesia’s population of 265 million consisted of 131 million women, translating to 50 per cent of the population. Seeing the potential, it would be a pity if women were not able to contribute to the success and growth of Indonesia. A country as big as this would

not be able to survive solely on 50 per cent of its population—that is, men.

Instead, the modern-day Kartini women have the capability of contributing the same amount, if not more, than men. “As long as they believe in themselves and have faith in their ability to dive into a variety of industries that are crucial in the growth of this nation, Indonesian women are sure to become a force to be reckoned with globally,” Millie said in closing.

“education is the Key to success,” she said.