ILO–IBCWE Social Media Campaign Promotes Gender Equality in Indonesian Workplaces

The campaign used a variety of digital formats—including infographics, short videos, articles and interactive posts—to highlight the importance of gender-responsive policies in the workplace.

A five-month social media campaign led by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (IBCWE) has reached tens of thousands of people, raising awareness about gender equality, workplace safety and women’s leadership across Indonesia’s business sector.

The campaign, conducted between October 2025 and February 2026, generated more than 87,000 views and nearly 225,000 impressions, highlighting growing engagement among professionals on issues such as non-discrimination, fair career opportunities and violence-free workplaces.

Digital Campaign Promoting Inclusive Workplaces

Implemented under the ILO’s Realizing Trade Gains Free from Gender Discrimination and Child Labour (RealGains) project and funded by the Government of Canada, the initiative aimed to reinforce the idea that inclusive workplaces are central to decent work, responsible business practices and sustainable trade.

The campaign used a variety of digital formats—including infographics, short videos, articles and interactive posts—to highlight the importance of gender-responsive policies in the workplace.

Key themes promoted during the campaign included:

• gender equality in hiring and promotion• eliminating workplace discrimination• preventing violence and harassment at work• supporting care responsibilities and work–life balance• increasing women’s leadership in business

Strong Engagement from Young Professionals

Data from the campaign shows that content reached a diverse audience, particularly younger professionals.

Across ILO and IBCWE’s Instagram platforms, the campaign recorded:

• 82,470 views

• 224,612 impressions

Women made up 63.5 percent of the audience reached, while men accounted for 36.5 percent.

The highest engagement came from professionals aged 25 to 34, representing 43.4 percent of total interactions, indicating strong interest among younger workers in gender-responsive workplace practices.

Addressing Everyday Workplace Challenges

Some of the campaign’s most engaging content addressed hidden barriers faced by women at work, including unequal opportunities and workplace conditions.

One post discussing unseen challenges in professional environments attracted over 9,000 views, demonstrating the relevance of these issues to workers’ everyday experiences.

Online discussions revealed concerns about workplace conditions, including comments from women working in sectors such as banking who reported long working hours without overtime compensation.

Another post exploring the challenges of starting a new job prompted users to reflect on workplace culture and the importance of supportive environments.

“The first day at work is quite nerve-wracking as we need to adapt to the workplace, colleagues and new work culture,” one user commented. “We are fortunate if we have a supportive working environment and supportive co-workers.”

Gender Equality Linked to Business Success

According to Dede Sudono, RealGains Project Coordinator for the ILO in Indonesia, the campaign highlights how gender equality benefits both workers and businesses.

“Gender equality is essential to building competitive and sustainable enterprises, particularly in sectors connected to global trade,” Sudono said.

“When women have equal access to opportunities, leadership roles and safe working environments, businesses perform better and the benefits of trade are more widely shared.”

Supporting Responsible Trade and Supply Chains

The campaign forms part of broader efforts under the RealGains project to ensure that economic growth driven by trade also respects fundamental labour rights, including gender equality.

By encouraging companies to adopt transparent promotion systems, family-friendly policies and zero-tolerance approaches to harassment, the initiative aims to strengthen responsible business practices across supply chains.

ILO officials say digital outreach plays an increasingly important role in mobilizing companies, workers and young professionals to support fair and inclusive workplaces.

Growing Momentum for Workplace Equality

The success of the campaign demonstrates how social media can be used as a powerful tool to promote gender equality and decent work principles, especially among younger professionals who will shape the future of Indonesia’s workforce.

Through continued collaboration between international organizations, businesses and workers, advocates hope such initiatives will help create safer, more inclusive and more productive workplaces across the country.