VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

For two Russian women, both named Yekaterina, the war in Ukraine has stirred them to very different emotions. One supports President Vladimir Putin and expects victory, while the other opposes Putin and thinks Russia will lose.

A year since Putin sent troops into Ukraine, the views of Russia's 145 million people about the war are still difficult to discern, though official opinion polls say Putin's approval rating remains around 80%.

Yekaterina, 38, is a supporter of Putin and believes that Russia will ultimately triumph, even though it is now fighting a Ukraine backed by the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

Her flat in southern Moscow is packed full of bags of donated clothes and boxes of food that she has collected to send to Russian-controlled Donbas, where many people have been left homeless by the war.

"When my boyfriend went off to fight as a volunteer, I understood that I had to do something to help," she said, asking for her surname not to be used for fear of online abuse from supporters of Ukraine.

"We need to help to defend our country, our families, those who are close to us and all of Russia," she said, adding she supported Putin and the current path of the Kremlin leadership.

In her flat, she sorted dozens of bags, carefully labelling those containing winter clothes, fur-lined boots and baby clothes, sometimes discarding boots that were not in good enough condition.

Polling by the independent Levada Centre indicates around 75% of Russians support the Russian military, while 19% do not and 6% don't know. Three-quarters of Russians expect Russia to be victorious.

Many diplomats and analysts doubt the figures.

"I support the president and think he is working well," Yekaterina said. "Russia will be victorious - unequivocally."

TWO VIEWS

Just 10 kilometres (6 miles) south, another Yekaterina has a completely different view. Yekaterina Varenik, 26, who used to work at state-controlled gas giant Gazprom, hates the war and publicly opposes Putin.

After a Russian strike on Dnipro last month, she held up a placard reading "Ukrainians are not our enemies but our brothers" in front of the Moscow statue of Lesya Ukrainka, a Ukrainian poet.

Her flat echoes with emptiness. Everything has been sold or stored as she packs up to leave Russia for Kyrgyzstan to join her husband, who left soon after Putin ordered troops into Ukraine.

Varenik recalled the shock and emotion of first hearing the war had started on Feb. 24 last year. Like many Russians, she has close familial and friendship networks which criss-crossed the borders of post-Soviet Russia and Ukraine.

She remembers holidaying in Ukraine as a child. Now her family is divided by several closed borders and impassable front lines.

After her placard protest, she spent 12 days in detention.

"Many of my friends have left," Varenik said. "If you are in danger and in order not to be complicit in these events, you need to use all means to escape."

Since the war, and after Putin's partial mobilisation in September, sections of Moscow's wealthy cultural, technological and economic elites have left in the biggest wave of emigration since the years following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Soon after the war began, Putin warned Russians to be vigilant about Russian "traitors" and "scum" who he said the West would try to use as fifth column to destroy the country.

Some officials have been concerned by such a large exodus of Russian talent, though others dismiss the concerns and say Russian society is now much more united without those whose allegiances are questionable.

"It is very sad but it seems to me that this will not be ending any time soon," Varenik said. "I think this is only going to end when Russia either admits defeat or loses."

In her view, Russia's and Russians' reputation will be sullied for ever.

"We in Russia will probably never be able to wash it off." (Reuters)

Jakarta (voinews): Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati promotes gender equality, wherein women can gain access and have the same contribution and career opportunities in the green and digital economy sectors.

"Ensuring that in this new trend and in the near future, women will have the same opportunities, be truly able to seize this opportunity to have an equal contribution in a task that will be very crucial in the future, like digital and green economy," the minister stated at the event titled "Empowering Women to Shape the Future of Jobs" on Tuesday.

At the event, the minister spotlighted some of the most challenging issues that prevent women from fully participating in the sector and underscored the need to address them.

The issues include familial, religious, and cultural values as well as the stigma that women were not up for the task due to the lack of competency in technology and mathematics.

Hence, Indrawati pressed for greater encouragement to be given to women to pursue broader participation and a standard beyond the requirements, having capability not only limited to basic education but also of higher comprehension in science, technology, and mathematics, she elaborated.

Moreover, women need to have digital literacy training, so they would be able to reap best benefits from financial technology and digital development. Women are expected to seize opportunities amid a digital shift in the economy and state.

Minister Indrawati pointed out that several businesses currently employ digital platforms and digital markets, thereby allowing women to stay at home to care for the children whilst simultaneously providing them an opportunity to be productive and hone their entrepreneurship skills to access the market.

"However, all of this will need digital knowledge, and this is usually supported by other people," she stated.

Indonesia has some programs to promote gender equality, the minister noted. These programs, such as the 1,000 Digital Startups National Initiative by the Communication and Informatics Ministry, ensure that women are ready for a new era of digital and green economy life.

The program aims to facilitate opportunity for digital-based entrepreneurship for everyone in Indonesia while concurrently encouraging female entrepreneurs.

There are also other programs, i.e. MSMEs Caretakers, as well as catalogue creation for micro, small, and medium enterprises, both by the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry, which aim to facilitate MSMEs' digital transformation, particularly through the online marketplace.

Indonesia also has the Proudly Made in Indonesia Initiative (Gernas BBI) to increase love and appreciation for local-made products, especially those created by MSMEs, so they would develop better.

The target of integrating 30 million MSMEs into the digital ecosystem is expected to be achieved through these programs, thereby leading to the demand for MSMEs products, which in turn would improve MSMEs' performance and profoundly impact economic growth.

"All of these are programs in which the recipients are usually female entrepreneurs, who know fully well that through these government programs, they can expand their market reach and obtain technical assistance on packaging a quality product," the minister added.

Moreover, the Finance Ministry promotes accessible financial services for MSMEs, wherein the players are mainly women. Subsidized funding for them is in line with the national strategy on financial inclusivity for women, she added.

The minister said several scientific proofs and research indicated that gender equality was good for the economy and state as well as the family and youth.

"Youth and children can later see the actual proof that there is no limit, no issues, whether you are male or female, and it can be so crucial, influencing the next generation," she concluded. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati motivates young women to become brave, confident leaders, who could set an example for others in doing the best.

"Be brave and just do the best that you can. You will be an example for your peers, for daughters, or your family," the minister stated during a global event titled, "Empowering Women to Shape the Future of Jobs," hosted on Tuesday.

At the event, the minister encouraged women to believe in themselves and to be optimistic in doing their tasks and not be easily intimidated by anyone.

"You all who have higher education, actually, you all have plenty of opportunity to become a leader. Be brave and confident. I believe you all are smart, so you can contribute more by not only doing the best but also becoming a role model for others," she affirmed.

The minister believes that every step towards advancement taken by women of higher education actually represents the struggle of womankind seeking to gain access to that higher education in question.

Indrawati encouraged more women to pursue higher education, including in the fields of science, technology, and mathematics, so they would not be easily dismissed, and instead, be seen as a force to be reckoned with and considered to possess skills and competencies.

Moreover, Minister Indrawati promoted gender equality, wherein women can gain access and have the same contribution and career opportunities in the green and digital economy sectors.

At the event, the minister drew attention to some of the most pressing issues that prevent women from fully participating in the sectors and emphasized the need to address them.

The issues pertain to familial, religious, and cultural values, as well as the stigma that women were not up for the task due to a lack of competency in technology and mathematics.

The minister highlighted the need for digital literacy training for women to enable them to optimally benefit from financial technology and digital development. Women are expected to seize opportunities in the midst of a digital shift in the economy and state. (antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received the honorary visit of China's Foreign Affairs Minister Qin Gang at the Merdeka Palace here on Wednesday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, who accompanied President Jokowi at the meeting, stated that it was the first official visit of Minister Qin after being appointed as the new foreign affairs minister in December 2022.

"This visit is the first official visit of the Chinese foreign affairs minister to our region, and for this time, Jakarta is the only destination," Marsudi remarked after the meeting, according to a statement from the Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat received here.

According to Marsudi, President Jokowi conveyed to Minister Qin about the importance of increasing mutually beneficial economic cooperation between Indonesia and China.

Moreover, she highlighted that China was Indonesia's biggest trade partner, and the trade balance between both nations was getting increasingly balanced.

The president also discussed with Qin about several strategic partnerships between Indonesia and China that need to be improved.

Some of the partnerships include the completion of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project, construction of a green industrial park in Kalimantan, construction of Indonesia's new capital city Nusantara, and the downstreaming of industries that the Indonesian government is currently intensifying.

"The Chinese foreign affairs minister conveyed his commitment to continue to improve relations or economic cooperation with Indonesia, including to increase imports from Indonesia, especially of agricultural products," Marsudi explained.

Jokowi also accentuated the importance of Indonesia and China taking on the role of the drivers of peace and stability in the region, as they were the prerequisites for economic development.

According to Marsudi, Minister Qin also expressed China's support for Indonesia's ASEAN chairmanship.

Apart from Minister Marsudi, President Jokowi was also accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung at Wednesday's meeting. (Antaranews)