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Indonesia Council Open Conference 2025
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The rise of Indonesia’s middle class and the implications for women’s education, marriage, fertility and labour market outcomes

Organised Panel

Organised Panel

9:00 am

09 July 2025

Forum 1 (Melbourne Connect)

Session 3: Gender and Social Change: Indonesia’s Economic Transformation

One Conference streams

Social and economic development

Submission Description

Indonesia’s middle class has been growing rapidly in the last two decades, transforming the social and economic landscapes of Indonesian society. What are the implications of the rising middle class for women? On one hand, rising aspirations could lead to a rise in women’s education, as daughters are expected to achieve tertiary education levels to join the middle class. On the other hand, the change in consumption patterns of the growing middle class could mean change in job opportunities for women, especially in highly feminized sectors such as health and education. The higher standard of lifestyle could also put pressure on women’s fertility and labour market decisions, as women juggle the need for a two-income household and the expectations of quality care and education for their children. This study attempts to quantify the implications of the rise in middle class for women’s education, marriage, fertility and labour market outcomes.

Presenters