The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection creates a guideline on gender equality as a reference for the government in formulating policies to ensure women are not left behind in the digital space.

This guideline is also created to help everyone know about the gender gap within the digital era, Gender Mainstreaming in the Economy Sector Assistant Deputy at the Ministry Eni Widiyanti noted here, Wednesday.

The responsibility to reduce inequality and hurdles for women is mandated in various regulations on gender mainstreaming, both internationally and nationally.

To this day, the Indonesian government is committed to gender mainstreaming as described in Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 200 and the Mid-Term National Development Program (RPJMN) as well as its derivatives.

This also became part of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically the fifth goal.

“However, these regulations are not enough. There needs to be a long-term effort to continue to reduce inequality and optimize the potential of women in the economic sector and digital transformation era,” Widiyanti remarked.

According to research from McKinsey Global Institute in 2018, Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) can grow by US$135 billion by 2025 if women’s economic participation can be improved upon, she noted.

Widiyanti expects this guideline to be used as a reference for various parties, so that they can collaborate and implement an action plan described within the scope of women’s digital transformation.

These parties include the central government, regional governments, business world, private sector, communities, and academicians.

“This guideline is a start. After we unveil the guideline, without implementation and monitoring, how can this guideline helps reduce the digital gap? This would certainly render the guideline meaningless,” she stated.

Source: Antara News