The role and potential of women in the economy is very crucial and should be developed, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga said in a press statement issued on Tuesday.
Women’s participation in Indonesia’s economy has risen significantly, she highlighted.
In the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector, Indonesian women’s contribution to the economy reached 61 percent, with almost half of MSMEs owned and managed by women, she noted.
This shows that women’s potential in work and investment is very crucial, not just for daily lives and family resiliency, but also for the nation, Puspayoga remarked.
“As the biggest economy in ASEAN, Indonesia should implement the National Economic Recovery (PEN) Program to expedite economic growth,” the minister said.
“By allocating sufficient funds through PEN, with the majority of the benefit and program recipients being women, it is expected that it can alleviate a quite large economic burden caused by the pandemic,” she added.
Puspayoga said she supports the efforts of the Indonesian Women Entrepreneurs Association (IWAPI) and Asia Africa Chamber of Commerce (AACC) in strengthening women entrepreneurs’ capacity building in investment, trade, and business.
“Representing the Indonesian government, I give the highest appreciation to IWAPI and AACC that have facilitated women entrepreneurs in investment, trade, and business,” she stated.
There are many women who have been empowered economically and assumed leadership positions, Puspayoga said.
However, there are still many women who are not quite empowered, she added.
According to UN Women, one of the factors hindering women’s economical empowerment is discrimination in the manpower market, she informed.
This discrimination can come in the form of limited access to certain sectors and wage discrimination, she explained.
A gender gap in the manpower market not only causes a decline in income of women, but also affects their status within society, the minister said.
This puts women in a vulnerable position career-wise, especially during economic crises, she added.
Source: Antara News