Depok, January 16, 2025 – Various dimensions of gender inequality—including political, economic, cultural, and social aspects—persist across the world, including in the United States. Despite being known as a developed country, the U.S. continues to face pressing challenges in achieving gender equality.

This issue was highlighted by Kelda Roys, a State Senator from Wisconsin, United States, during a Sharing Session held on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at the Smartclass Room, M Building, Faculty of Administrative Sciences, University of Indonesia (FIA UI), and via Zoom. The event focused on the topic: “Gender Perspective in the Policy-Making Process.”

“In politics, women’s representation at both the federal and state levels remains far from adequate. For instance, the U.S. has never had a female president. Women make up only 25% of the Senate, 28% of the House of Representatives, and 24% of state governors,” Roys explained.

From an economic perspective, Roys pointed out that women in the U.S. earn only 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, with even wider disparities experienced by women of color.

She also emphasized cultural issues, including sexual violence, harassment, and the objectification of women, along with maternal mortality rates that are the highest among developed nations.

“Political and religious divisions further complicate efforts to achieve gender equality in the United States,” she added.

Senator Roys also discussed policy challenges and opportunities for gender equality. Among these challenges is the lack of access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, contraception, and comprehensive sex education. Additionally, insufficient childcare infrastructure and inequalities in paid parental leave worsen the situation for working women.

“There are several policy proposals that could address these barriers, including restoring funding for the Violence Against Women Act, implementing equal paid family leave for both parents, providing public childcare services, improving access to healthcare, and enforcing pay equity. Campaign finance reform is also crucial to creating a fairer political landscape,” she explained.

The discussion was interactive, with numerous questions from participants, reflecting a deep interest in gender equality and how these policies could be applied in Indonesia. Senator Roys expressed her appreciation for the participants’ enthusiasm and hoped the session would inspire more people to contribute to positive change.

The event concluded with the presentation of an award from FIA UI to Senator Roys, delivered by Prof. Dr. Teguh Kurniawan. Participants then took a group photo to commemorate the occasion.