JAKARTA, 21 December 2021 – Orami, a parenting platform known for its mother and baby e-commerce offerings, as well as its parenting content and community services, celebrated Mother’s Day by releasing its latest research exploring what empowerment means to Indonesian mothers, titled “Uncovering the Potential of Indonesian Mothers: Perspectives on Maternal Empowerment and Aspirations for Economic Independence.”

The research reflected Orami’s appreciation for and commitment to supporting Indonesian mothers in realising their full potential and becoming increasingly empowered. Orami believed that empowering mothers could create benefits not only for women themselves, but also for wider society and the national economy.

Orami viewed empowerment as multidimensional, encompassing areas such as economic independence, social participation, and involvement in domestic life. The report found that only 50% of mothers surveyed felt empowered. Orami’s research also showed that the three most important factors among mothers who felt empowered were being financially independent, using their time productively, and being able to create value for others.

The research also revealed several notable findings, including a clear relationship between economic independence and mothers’ sense of empowerment. Among mothers who said they were financially independent or had their own source of income, 70% reported feeling empowered. This finding highlighted the importance of economic independence in helping mothers build a stronger sense of empowerment.

Prita Apresianti, Head of Content at Orami (SIRCLO Group), said, “Having their own source of income is something almost all mothers aspire to, with the majority seeing entrepreneurship as their preferred path towards economic independence. The research also shows that this aspiration is driven more by personal ambition and self-fulfilment than by necessity.”

At the report launch event held on Tuesday, 21 December 2021, Orami also invited Pertiwi Triwidiahening from UN Women and Anastasia Satriyo, psychologist and author, to share their perspectives on the importance of empowering mothers in Indonesia.

Pertiwi Triwidiahening, National Programme Officer – Women’s Entrepreneurship at UN Women Indonesia, said, “Women’s economic empowerment should also strengthen women’s agency, not only by improving household economic outcomes, but also by enabling women to play an important and equal role in family decision-making. Women’s participation in economic activities can also contribute to higher productivity and GDP, greater economic diversification, and improved income equality. The growing number of mothers working as entrepreneurs and freelancers also shows that opportunities for mothers to achieve economic independence are becoming increasingly accessible, which is a positive indication of progress towards greater economic equality.”

Research showed that women who did not earn an income were 7 percentage points less likely to have control over household income beyond basic needs, and 3 percentage points less likely to have control over how their own money was spent or saved, compared with women who earned an income.

Another key finding from the research was that entrepreneurship was seen by most mothers as the most ideal path towards economic independence. A total of 70% of mothers considered entrepreneurship the preferred option, followed by 17% who chose part-time or freelance work. Flexible working hours were the main reason these types of work were considered ideal.

Anastasia Satriyo also shared her perspective as a psychologist, saying, “A sense of empowerment can grow from many different aspects of life. When a mother feels fulfilled and has the opportunity to realise her potential, she can already be considered empowered. This is why empowered mothers tend to have better mental well-being, which in turn enables them to manage their various roles more effectively. Over the long term, this can also have an important influence on the growth and development of future generations.”

Beyond their contribution to household finances, mothers were also becoming increasingly influential in household decision-making. Through their communities, mothers were able to exchange opinions and recommendations, with many playing an influential role both within their own families and among the wider communities around them.

Recognising this potential among mothers, Orami expanded IbuSibuk in the middle of the year. As Orami’s economic empowerment programme, IbuSibuk provides a platform for mothers to earn additional income from home by becoming nano-influencers who recommend products and services from various brands.

“As part of our commitment to helping mothers overcome barriers to expanding their knowledge and networks, IbuSibuk members are given access not only to a variety of brand campaigns, but also to exclusive training in entrepreneurship and personal development,” Prita added.

To read the full research report, it could be downloaded via sirclo.link/risetorami21. For more information about IbuSibuk and its programmes, users could visit https://ibusibuk.orami.co.id/.

Documentation Caption:

1. Orami talk show “Unlocking the Potential of Empowered Mothers and Their Influence on Household Dynamics”, featuring Prita Apresianti, Head of Content at Orami; Pertiwi Triwidiahening, National Programme Officer – Women’s Entrepreneurship at UN Women Indonesia; and Anastasia Satriyo, psychologist and author.

***

About Orami

Orami is Indonesia’s first and largest parenting platform. Founded in 2013 as an online retailer, Orami had since expanded rapidly into content and community services. Over seven years of operation, Orami recorded strong growth in users and website visitors, supported by hundreds of brands, a range of communities comprising tens of thousands of mothers across Indonesia, and tens of thousands of curated content pieces tailored specifically for Indonesian parents. Orami continued to expand its services in pursuit of its mission to become the best support system for parents in Indonesia.