Gender Workshop

June 2010, Bonn, Germany

Like a seed sprouting, gender mainstreaming grows steady although it is not as easy as to say, penetrating any obstacles of culture, religion, social structure and paradigm. Take place in Andreas Hermes Academy, Bonn, Germany, an international workshop on gender mainstreaming invites partner organizations of EED and ESP from many countries in the world including Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Brazil, Congo, Ecuador, Myanmar, Cambodia, India and Indonesia to share about gender problems and to learn the serious concern of the two donors in promoting woman in the world to have justice and equality through education or training.

Stube HEMAT, one of ESP partner organizations in Indonesia participates in the workshop by sending the Stube Coordinator, Ariani Narwastujati as the representative of the organization.

Encouraging woman to have equality as man is not as simple as imagined. There are many complexities and collision both internal and external factor of a woman with any logic reasons. Even, comfort zone has often lulled to sleep woman by neglecting her potential capacity to do more for others.

Gender is not absolutely talking about the oppressed woman but also fair relationship between two sexes. Different life background of the participants gives the dynamic of the workshop that requires each participant to listen carefully to each contextual problem brought from different countries and continents.

Myanmar, for example, depicts that gender as a serious problem in which culture, patriarchy system, even religion squeeze woman not able to move. Woman generally is not aware of such condition that assumed as common values that they take for granted. Many more women in the world is not and has not been aware that they are actually victims of system hampering equality in education, politic, economy even sexual affairs. Who will be responsible? Awareness on gender equality is the key to enable woman being independence to give more impact of the future life.

All participants are in pose together before departing to view Bonn in a glance and enjoy the beauty of Rhine River. ***