Support Sustainable Development In 2030, Minister Of Industry Agus: Empower Women

Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita. (Photo: Doc. Kemenperin)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) continues to encourage women's empowerment and increase the proportion of women in the workforce in order to reduce the social and economic gaps of the community.

Minister of Industry (Menperin), Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said women's empowerment was in line with Indonesia's determination to encourage the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDG) 2030, including SDG Number 5 which calls for gender equality and women's empowerment.

"Given that around 54 percent of Indonesian workers are women, it is important for the industrial sector, companies, and the Indonesian government to start implementing a progressive strategy in empowering women," said Minister of Industry Agus in Jakarta, Saturday, February 18.

"So, efforts to increase the number of women in the workforce are one of the important strategies to achieve these SDG goals," he added.

According to Agus, his party has identified several challenges in efforts to increase the number of women in the workforce.

First, the lack of options for child care centers around workplaces and settlements. Most of these options have high costs that are not affordable by lower middle class families.

"This causes women to take the decision to leave the world of work, especially for those who have small children," said Agus.

The second challenge is that it is difficult for Indonesian women to prioritize their work and give everything in the workplace. Because, the majority of women in Indonesia who work are also expected to carry out their roles and responsibilities as housewives.

"Thirdly, the lack of inclusive policies that can encourage more female workers to participate in the labor ecosystem," explained Agus.

Minister of Industry Agus said that his party had collaborated on various projects with the private sector and other governments to increase educational opportunities for women, especially in the fields of Education, Technical and Vocational Training, as well as the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

"We have also organized Women Innovation Camp with an emphasis on understanding the Internet of Things (IoT). In 2021, the program consists of three activities, namely webinars on women and technology, workshops about women and leadership through sports, as well as training sessions on IoT," he said.

Furthermore, Minister of Industry Agus is optimistic that these efforts can realize better and more advanced education and skills for Indonesian women.

"So that it can meet business and industrial demand," he concluded.

Referring to McKinsey Global Institute Report (2015), women's participation in the workforce through the implementation of a gender equality system will be one of the determining factors that will increase GDP by 135 million US dollars by 2025.