March marks an important moment for reflection with the observance of International Women’s Day (8 March). In this edition, we recommend a selection of research-based readings that highlight the importance of women’s perspectives in development. 

One of them is a research report (2014) showing that a family-based census is more gender-sensitive in identifying women-headed households compared to household-based approach. This finding remains relevant today, amid ongoing efforts to improve data accuracy and policy inclusiveness. We also highlight an article from Magdalene that critiques social norms positioning daughters as “old-age security.” On social media, we recommend various studies documenting women’s experiences across diverse development issues. 

We also recommend our latest research on the factors influencing literacy, numeracy, and 21st-century skills achievement in schools and madrasahs. These findings help shed light on learning quality gaps while opening opportunities for more targeted policy improvements.

In addition, we have recently initiated a study on the impact of social media use on youth well-being in countries across the Global South. With 180 million social media users in Indonesia (DataReportal, 2026) and Gen Z internet penetration reaching 79.73% (APJII, 2025), this study is expected to strengthen policies related to adolescents’ digital well-being. 

Lastly, I would like to wish you a Happy Eid al-Fitr 1447 H. May the goodness of Ramadan stay with us in the days ahead.

We truly value your feedback. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us at comms@smeru.or.id

Widjajanti Isdijoso
Director, The SMERU Research Institute