Lecturers so far seem to have no problems, maybe it’s because we are in denial. We pretend to be okay. So it’s like (we need) awareness that we are not okay, awareness that something needs to change, awareness that we are the working class who are very likely to be oppressed in our work fulfillment relationships.” – Nabiyla Risfa Azzati, representative of the Lecturer Welfare Research Team (2023)

The teaching profession, which is considered promising, does not guarantee worker welfare. A survey from the Lecturer Welfare Team shows that there are still lecturers who are dissatisfied with their salaries. This research was released in commemoration of Labor Day and National Education Day 2023. 

Survey by the Lecturer Welfare Research Team (UGM-UI-Unram, 2023) shows that 42.9% of lecturers earn below Rp3 million. About 35% of them feel that their monthly income does not match their workload and qualifications as lecturers. Moreover, nearly one-third of respondents reported spending monthly living costs of Rp3-5 million.

Not All Lecturers Live Prosperously

The representative of the Lecturer Welfare Research Team, Nabiyla Risfa Azzati, stated that this research shows the fact that many lecturers are not prosperous. The labor law lecturer at UGM noted that more than 40% of lecturers earning below Rp3 million is a red flag. 

“This speaks about a profession that on one hand requires very high qualifications to enter, therefore its barrier is very high, while on the other hand, this profession also becomes the backbone of knowledge creation,” emphasized Nabiyla when met by the Never Okay Project (NOP) team. 

Issues of Lecturer Welfare Rarely Discussed 

Nabiyla revealed that the welfare of lecturers is rarely raised. This is why this research was conducted: to make this issue mainstream so that the parties concerned can be more open and acknowledge that there are problems. 

“Because if we can acknowledge that there is a problem, we can start from there, we can look for solutions together. If we don’t even admit there’s a problem, it’s very difficult, right?” she said. 

Nabiyla realizes that discussions about salaries are still considered taboo, especially for the teaching profession, which is considered noble and carries a certain social status. She also acknowledges that it is not difficult to find prosperous lecturers. However, that does not mean we should turn a blind eye to the 42.9% of respondents who earn less than Rp3 million. 

“If my life is used as an example, lecturers are fine. But there are many other lecturers who are not okay,” she said. 

Lecturers No Longer an Attractive Career Choice

The results of this research also seem to answer an assumption that being a lecturer is no longer an attractive choice. “How can we attract quality individuals to work in a profession that in its early stages cannot provide welfare. Like it’s impossible,” she said. 

Nabiyla also mentioned the high resignation rate from CASN (Civil Service Candidates) lecturers. This indicates that something is wrong. 

“This actually shows that there’s something wrong, we do not value people who actually want to dedicate their time to knowledge creation in Indonesia,” she explained. 

Read also: Violence Against Journalists: From Sexual to KBGO

Ideal Salary Standards for Lecturers

Discussing ideal salaries for lecturers is quite complicated. This is because the benchmark for fair wages in Indonesia refers to the minimum wage, which in this context is the standard of Decent Living Needs (KHL). However, this context is considered less suitable when talking about lecturer salaries. 

“Why? Because first, the barrier to becoming a lecturer is high, so this should be seen as a profession that should not be valued at bare minimum,” explained Nabiyla. 

She compared it to other countries that generally do not value lecturer salaries at minimum wage. The reason is that lecturer salaries there are negotiated. In Indonesia, sector-based negotiations are nearly non-existent, so the Lecturer Welfare Research Team cannot answer how to provide an ideal standard for lecturers. 

Comparing Lecturer Salaries with Neighboring Countries

The Lecturer Welfare Research Team attempted to compare lecturer salaries in Indonesia with comparable neighboring countries, namely Malaysia and Thailand. The results are quite shocking. The average lecturer salary in Malaysia is Rp 20-25 million and in Thailand is Rp 38-42 million. Nabiyla revealed that initially, the team felt those figures were not suitable for this job because they were too high. However, the main problem is that Indonesia does not have a standard for lecturer salaries. 

“The comparison with Malaysia and Thailand should not be a very far comparison, but seeing that we currently do not have a standard, if we were to present at the Ministry of Education and Culture, we’d face ridicule. It’s strange how we don’t have standards; we are even afraid to mention a figure that isn’t too high at all, it’s actually quite normal,” said Nabiyla. 

Lecturers are Workers Too: Fighting Not to be Oppressed

The survey results from the Lecturer Welfare Research Team also show that the lecturer profession is a labor profession. Therefore, it is necessary to fight to not be oppressed. 

“Call us professional workers, call us white-collar workers, call us knowledge producers, whatever the name, at the end of the day, we are workers, we are laborers,” said Nabiyla. 

Source:

• Lecturer Welfare Research Team. (2023, May 4). How much do lecturers earn? Here are the results of the first national survey mapping the welfare of academics in Indonesia. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/berapa-gaji-dosen-berikut-hasil-survei-nasional-pertama-yang-memetakan-kesejahteraan-akademisi-di-indonesia-203854 accessed on May 21, 2023.  

• Interview with the representative of the Lecturer Welfare Research Team, Nabiyla Risfa Azzati. May 17, 2023. 

Writer: Yanti Nainggolan

Editor: Imelda

December 1st is World AIDS Day. Unfortunately, the stigma against People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) still strongly persists in society, including in the workplace. Many of our friends have lost access to employment early on due to discriminatory company policies. The reasons vary, from concerns of being unproductive to fears of transmission.

PLWHAs do not need pity, but rather support to maintain their empowerment. Combatting the stigma around HIV/AIDS can start with self-education, you know, so please read this article to the end!

World AIDS Day: HIV/AIDS in Indonesia by the Numbers

Just like World AIDS Day which is commemorated every year, the number of HIV/AIDS cases in Indonesia continues to rise each year. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Indonesia has been ongoing since 1987. HIV/AIDS cases are spread across 34 provinces and 308 (61%) out of 504 districts/cities. According to WHO data from 2019, there are 78% of new HIV infections in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to data from Kemkes RI, the highest number of tests recorded was in 2019 with approximately 4.1 million HIV tests, and 50,282 of these were HIV positive. Based on gender, the majority of PLWHAs are male. The largest AIDS risk factors are heterosexual (70%) and homosexual (22%). The number of AIDS cases reported in 2019 was 7,036 cases. 

At the end of 2020, UNAIDS reported the number of PLWHAs in Indonesia as 540,000 people. This year recorded 28,000 new cases of PLWHA. Data shows that 66% of PLWHAs are aware of their condition and 26% of PLWHAs have access to Anti-Retroviral (ARV) therapy. Since 2010, the percentage of PLWHAs receiving ARV therapy has continued to increase. 

Read also: Research results by Never Okay Project regarding Harassment and Sexual Violence in the Workplace

World AIDS Day: Discrimination against PLWHAs in the Workplace Continues

Although the number of PLWHAs receiving ARV therapy continues to rise, it does not reduce the discrimination they face. According to UNAIDS, in 2019, 12.2% of PLWHAs reported experiencing discrimination from their surrounding environment.

Without the consent of the PLWHA concerned, people around them report their health status to medical personnel. This then adversely affects the lives of PLWHAs.

What are the vulnerabilities of discrimination against PLWHAs in the workplace?

Here are five vulnerabilities of discrimination against PLWHAs in the workplace that we should know:

1. Direct discrimination, such as firing employees solely because of their HIV-positive status

2. Indirect discrimination, for instance, through HIV-free job requirements

3. Associative discrimination, such as someone being avoided for associating with PLWHAs

4. Harassment, through actions that demean the dignity of PLWHAs

5. Blaming the victim, when a PLWHA who is a victim of discrimination reports to HR. Instead of receiving justice, they are blamed by HR.

What about the stigma and mental pressure on PLWHAs?

Aside from societal stigma, PLWHAs also experience psychosocial pressures or reactions, which are:

1. Anxiety about the illness they suffer from, treatment, even threats of death

2. Depression, feeling sad, powerless, guilty, worthless, hopeless, and even suicidal due to their HIV/AIDS status

3. Isolation and lack of social support, feeling rejected by family and society

4. Anger, manifesting hostility towards caregivers, and rejecting ARV therapy due to lack of self-acceptance

5. Fear of others knowing their HIV/AIDS status

6. Shame due to the negative stigma of being an HIV/AIDS patient

Read also: Other articles related to Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

What is the role of education in combating stigma against PLWHAs in the workplace?

“But, if I get close to PLWHAs, I might get infected.”

The fact is, HIV is not transmitted through touch, tears, sweat, saliva, urine, or even feces of the infected person. According to WHO, HIV can be transmitted through the exchange of various bodily fluids from an infected person, such as blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal fluids.

HIV can also be transmitted from a mother to her child during pregnancy and childbirth. Remember, we will not get infected just by hugging, kissing, shaking hands, and sharing eating utensils with PLWHAs. 

Misconceptions about PLWHA stigma are also evident in the workplace. Many companies set HIV-free job requirements and terminate employees with HIV/AIDS due to the myth that PLWHAs are weak and frequently sick, thus affecting productivity.

The reality is that by undergoing ARV therapy, PLWHAs can lead productive lives and contribute just like others. ARVs are proven to suppress the amount of HIV virus in the body and restore the immune system.

Is it illegal to fire PLWHAs because of their HIV+ status?

Yes. Tragically, many PLWHAs still face termination due to their HIV/AIDS status. In fact, this violates human rights and the law:

1. Article 5 paragraph (1) Kep. 68/MEN/IV/2004: “Employers or managers are prohibited from conducting HIV tests to be used as a prerequisite for the recruitment process or continuation of employee status or routine health examination obligations.”

2. International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Article 2 paragraph (2) and (3) – ratified through Law No. 11 of 2005: Prohibits all forms of discrimination in accessing and maintaining employment.

How should companies protect PLWHAs?

In fact, employers should have HIV/AIDS handling policies. According to Kep. 20/DJPPK/VI/2005 on the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS in the Workplace, the employer's policy includes:

1. HIV/AIDS education programs for employees

2. Not requiring HIV/AIDS testing as a condition for accepting employees, promotions, and continuation of employment status

3. Not discriminating against employees with HIV/AIDS in terms of job opportunities, promotion rights, training opportunities, or other special treatments

4. Allowing employees with HIV/AIDS to continue working as long as they medically meet the applicable work standards

5. Keeping all medical information, health records, or other related information confidential

6. Employees with HIV/AIDS are not required to disclose their HIV/AIDS status to the company unless they choose to do so.

Thus, a sense of security in the workplace will be felt by all workers in Indonesia. In the context of HIV issues, that sense of security can take the form of a work environment that is friendly and free from stigma and discrimination. The positive impact on economic development will also be felt by the Indonesian government due to high workforce participation.

Let’s celebrate World AIDS Day by supporting the elimination of stigma against PLWHAs in the workplace!

References:

Indonesia. UNAIDS. (2021). Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/indonesia. 

HIV Infodatin. Center for Data and Information of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. (2020). Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://pusdatin.kemkes.go.id/resources/download/pusdatin/infodatin/infodatin-2020-HIV.pdf. 

Minister of Manpower and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia Decree Number KEP. 68/MEN/IV/2004 on the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS in the Workplace. ILO. (2005). Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-jakarta/documents/publication/wcms_123956.pdf. 

Minister of Manpower and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia. UNAIDS. (2004). Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://data.unaids.org/topics/partnership-menus/indonesia_hiv-workplace_id.pdf. 

Towards Indonesia Free of AIDS 2030. Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs. (2020). Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://www.kemenkopmk.go.id/menuju-indonesia-bebas-aids-2030.

Permata, A. (2018). What is Needed is #LovePLWHA, Not Stigma. LBH Community. Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://lbhmasyarakat.org/yang-dibutuhkan-itu-sayangodha-bukan-stigma/. 

HIV/AIDS Programs in the Workplace. ILO. (2020). Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-jakarta/documents/projectdocumentation/wcms_746744.pdf. 

Tristanto, A. (2020). Stigma Towards People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA). Center for Social Counseling. Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://puspensos.kemensos.go.id/stigma-terhadap-orang-dengan-hiv-dan-aids-odha. 

UNAIDS data 2021. UNAIDS. (2021). Accessed on December 3, 2021, from https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/documents/2021/2021_unaids_data. 

Author: Sasmithaningtyas Prihasti

The recent case of sexual harassment against a KPI member has opened our eyes that harassment also occurs in the media world, including cases of violence against journalists. The world of journalism, especially investigative journalism and hard news, is a masculine domain that is associated with violence, including sexual violence.

Violence Against Journalists in Numbers

The Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI) conducted research at the end of 2020 to examine the sexual violence experienced by journalists. From a questionnaire filled out by 34 respondents – 31 women and three men – it was revealed that 85% (25 people) of them had experienced sexual violence, with one person possibly experiencing more than one type of sexual violence.

This finding is not much different from the research conducted by the International Center of Journalists and UNESCO. Their research on 714 female journalists in 113 countries at the end of 2020 showed that nearly 75% of female journalists had experienced online violence, including sexual harassment.

This online violence, which occurs on social media, can even lead to murder.

What are the cyber threats faced by female journalists?

There are three types of cyber threats experienced by female journalists, namely

• Harassment and misogynistic violence

• Dirty campaigns or misinformation that exploit misogynistic narratives

• Privacy and digital security attacks that increase physical risks associated with cyber violence

All three lead to the same goal; to damage the reputation of female journalists by undermining their credibility and humiliating them, as well as reducing critical journalism.

How is the misogynistic violence experienced by female journalists?

The misogynistic violence experienced by female journalists includes threats of sexual violence, rape, and murder, including threats to their daughters, sisters, or mothers. Other types involve derogatory words and insults regarding their appearance and profession to undermine their self-confidence.

Directly (offline), misogynistic violence was experienced by CTV Canada reporter Krista Sharpe while filming in Kitchener, Ontario. A man in a passing car shouted at her with offensive words.

What forms of dirty campaigns target female journalists?

Female journalists are also often targeted by digital misinformation campaigns, such as accusations of professional misconduct, spreading insults about their character to damage their reputation, and hate-filled representations such as disseminating fake porn videos, memes that mock, or manipulated images.

Journalists conducting investigations often face threats to their privacy through malware, hacking of social media accounts, dissemination of personal information (doxing), and impersonation to obtain personal information (spoofing).

This reduction in privacy increases the physical threat to them due to the exposure of their identities, such as home addresses, office addresses, and movement patterns.

Maria Ressa: A Survivor of Violence Against Journalists

Some forms of cyber violence have been experienced by Maria Ressa, CEO of Rappler, who received the Nobel Peace Prize last October. As a prominent journalist unafraid to voice criticism in the political field, Maria is not exempt from unpleasant actions from those who disagree with her.

She is often the target of threats of rape and murder communicated online, as well as being the subject of hashtag campaigns aimed at discrediting her and Rappler. Last year, Maria was even convicted on charges of cyber libel against the government of President Rodrigo Duterte.

What impact does violence against journalists have on the world of journalism?

The various types of violence against female journalists have negative personal and systemic impacts on the field of journalism. Personally, female journalists become afraid to report from the front lines.

For safety, they are forced to choose to avoid online discussions about certain issues, even leaving their profession as journalists.

Without actions to stop the violence against female journalists, the number of female journalists will decrease, while those who remain will lose their confidence to discuss critical issues online.

With a decrease in female journalists, the journalistic ecosystem becomes gender-insensitive, increasingly masculine, and unwelcoming to women.

Author: Sari Idayatni