VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (VOI News) - The Indonesian people commemorate Kartini Day every April 21. This event is held to commemorate the services of an Indonesian woman named Raden Ajeng Kartini in fighting for equality for women in the colonial period.

This year, the commemoration of Kartini Day was carried out amid the world struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that so far 212 countries have been affected by the virus.

Related to this, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi encouraged the role of Indonesian women diplomats to continue working as the nation's diplomatic machine. She made the remarks during the Virtual Seminar themed Kartini Today in the COVID-19 Crisis, Protection of Citizens and Foreign Cooperation, Tuesday in Jakarta.

According to Retno, Indonesia's diplomacy machine which also consists of Indonesian women diplomats must move faster in the midst of a pandemic hitting countries around the globe, especially in fighting for national interests and the protection of citizens.

Retno explained that in this difficult time, Indonesian diplomats had to ensure that the flow of logistics, especially medical devices, medicines, and personal protective equipment, had to continue.

According to her, restrictions on human movements that are currently being implemented in many parts of the world cannot limit the movement of goods flow. Given that many countries still need the support of medical devices and medicines, especially in the face of a pandemic.

Shee also stressed the importance of foreign diplomacy so that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can be reduced, including in the social and economic fields.

“What I can say is that for our diplomacy, our diplomatic machine must move faster. It's faster to make a real contribution to fulfilling our current interests. All countries currently face a shortage of medical equipment, medicines, personal protective equipment. That's where our diplomacy moves in order to get what we need and that is not an easy thing for now because all countries are currently in need,” Retno Marsudi said.

In addition to encouraging Indonesia's diplomatic machine to move faster in the midst of a pandemic, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi also mentioned the important role of Indonesian diplomats in providing protection to Indonesian citizens abroad.

The protection of Indonesian citizens is a priority for diplomats and must be increased during the current pandemic.

“Indonesian diplomacy is also moving to improve protection for Indonesian citizens abroad. The issue of protection has become one of the priorities for Indonesia's foreign policy, but in this difficult time, protection must be increased. Many Indonesian citizens are abroad either for traveling or living abroad but they are affected by the crisis caused by COVID-19.

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi also reminded the importance of investing in women. According to her, investment in women is an important and comprehensive investment, not only for world peace but also for economic growth. (VOI/Ndy/AHM)