VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Bintang Puspayoga, has noted that women with disabilities are facing higher rates of stigmatization and discrimination, compared to women without disabilities.

"Women with disabilities are facing stigmatization and discrimination that are higher, as compared to women without disabilities," Puspayoga said at the Women 20 (W20) 4th Plenary Event here on Wednesday.

The W20 is part of the Indonesian G20 Sherpa Track. The engagement group, which was established in 2015, is focused on issues of women's development, inclusive growth, gender equality, and women's cooperation in the international economy.

Puspayoga said that women with disabilities are often deemed helpless when, in fact, they actually have the same abilities and potential as other people.

According to Puspayoga, most women with disabilities work in the informal sector or do not have a job.

"These women are also concentrated in the informal employment sector or have no work at all," she said.

In fact, women who make up half of the population of Indonesia and the world are very valuable, she stressed.

For that reason, she expressed hope that all women could become agents of change in realizing a better world.

"Every woman, regardless of background and characteristics, is an agent of change for a better world," she said.

By empowering women, both women from urban and from rural areas, including women with disabilities, it is believed that the world economy will become more prosperous.

"When we empower our women, whether it is women in cities, women in rural areas, or women with disabilities, we accelerate poverty alleviation and economic stability, leading to prosperity for all," the minister noted. (antaranews)