VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga has urged Indonesian women to become independent, empowered, and resilient.

"For women throughout Indonesia, be an independent woman, be a strong woman. Keep working, innovating, and being creative," she said at the “Women’s Inspiration Fest Awarding Night” in Jakarta on Monday, according to a statement received the same day.

This is important in the midst of inequality in access and participation that many women's groups still face.

In addition, women, who make up nearly 50 percent of Indonesia's population, are the support and foundation of the state from a social and economic perspective.

Minister Puspayoga highlighted the need for making more significant efforts to recognize women's contributions.

According to her, Indonesian women have become more advanced in thinking, working, and making real contributions to their surroundings, so their potential must also receive support from all parties.

"When we talk about women's contributions, this is actually extraordinary. Indonesian women are great and extraordinary women, there is no term that is impossible and cannot be done by women, as long as they are given the opportunity," the minister said.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Puan Maharani lauded the contribution of women at the ‘Women's Inspiration Fest’ competition in which many women won photo and writing competitions in various categories.

"As women leaders, we must help and support Indonesian women to work together to build the nation and the state. Apart from that, as women leaders, we must work harder to prove that we (women) are capable," Maharani said.

Equal participation of women and men is key for the welfare of a nation, deputy for gender equality at the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Lenny N. Rosalin, said earlier.

"Equal and full participation of women and men is the key to the welfare and success of a nation," she observed during a national webinar on "Optimizing Women's Potential in Entrepreneurship with a Gender Perspective,” which was followed from here last Tuesday.

Based on an analysis by the McKinsey Global Institute, Indonesia can increase its gross domestic product (GDP) by US$135 billion per year by 2025 if women's economic participation is increased, Rosalin pointed out.

For this reason, efforts to empower women in the economic field need to be strengthened, she said.

Based on data from the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), in 2019, there were a total of 65.5 million business units in Indonesia. Of the number, 99.99 percent were micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

"More than half of those MSME players were women," she highlighted.

Indonesian MSMEs contribute around 61 percent to the total GDP and absorb 97 percent of the workforce in the country. In addition, they account for 60 percent of the total investment in the country.

"If we do this (women's economic empowerment) simultaneously and jointly, I think in 2025, we can increase our GDP," Rosalin said.

It is believed that women who are economically empowered can become a part of the solution for issues affecting women and children, she added.

"If the economy is advanced, their children can be sent to higher education. They (children) can be provided with better nutrition so that stunting can be suppressed. Compulsory education can be increased up to 12 years, and finally, the quality of human resources can also improve," she explained. (antaranews)