Every April 21st, Indonesia celebrates National Kartini Day to commemorate renowned women’s rights activist Raden Ajeng Kartini.

Designated after her birthday, Kartini’s activism for women’s rights to education and emancipation under the Netherlands’ colonial rule has often been named as one of the core foundations to women’s rights in Indonesia. 

Best known for her posthumously published book “Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang,” Kartini used her position of power as an aristocrat to advocate for equality between men and women, especially in regards to education. At a time when Javanese patriarchal values prevented women from accessing higher education and limited their autonomy to either their fathers or husbands, Kartini's desire for women to have their own bodily autonomy and the freedom to pursue what they want paved the way for the fundamental human rights that modern Indonesian women now get to enjoy.

While education has advanced greatly since Kartini’s era, the absence of comprehensive sex education continues to put Indonesian women at risk.

Especially in the most underdeveloped regions of Indonesia (or Daerah 3T (Tertinggal, Terdepan, Terluar)), cultural factors play a big role in determining the kind of aspirations that women get to have. In some respects, these conditions are even comparable to the times that Kartini had to endure, as the women of these areas are often not perceived as equal to men, often sent off to be wed from ages as early as 12 to 15 years old, quite often as well to improve their family’s economic standings. 

Thus, this has led young girls to limited domestic roles such as being a housewife and a mother. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia’s recorded child marriage rate in 2024 has reached 8.16% among young girls between the ages 10-15, and 25,08% among girls aged 16-18 years old. These numbers are highly concerning when also considering Indonesia’s position as 2nd highest in maternal mortality rates in all of ASEAN, placing it currently at 189 out of 100,000 and higher than the regional average overall. In 2022, it was recorded that 27 of every 1,000 young girls ages 15-19 gave birth, which has very often led to child marriages being permitted by the local Religious Court through applying for a marriage dispensation, to which has seen 95% of them being approved through 2019-2023 according to the Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS). 

In light of this, the prevalence of said high maternal mortality rates and child marriages are not numbers to be so lightly shrugged off. With the 21st Century innovations on information technology, Indonesian women are now being informed more than ever on the dangers of lacking in sex education and what that could mean to their welfare. 

Social movements around the world like the #MeToo have greatly struck a chord with young Indonesian women.

As we gradually make progress in tackling the patriarchal aspects of our culture, it's vital to spread the word on crucial sex education to stop these harrowing numbers from rising. Many have begun the work via social media, to not only spread awareness on sex education but also towards the generational barriers that have historically prevented women from aspiring to greater successes. Obstacles such as financial generational trauma through structural poverty have so often relegated women to maintain domestic roles in efforts to uphold more traditional values. By accessing and being informed on important issues, they can identify these issues and act accordingly with consideration for their own livelihoods as opposed to values that have historically been misogynistic and limiting. 

True equality doesn’t mean taking away men’s rights—it means giving women an equal seat at the table. If that feels like a threat, then perhaps it’s time to examine the privileges being protected. Refusing to confront the harms of patriarchy only fuels the struggles women continue to face today.

Advocating for women’s rights means pushing for access to sex education—a subject still shrouded in taboo—because silence breeds ignorance, and ignorance enables violence. From rising rates of sexual assault to the lack of bodily autonomy, the consequences are real. Kartini’s fight is far from over, and it’s up to all of us to continue dismantling the barriers that still hold women back.