Bappenas Says Women In Indonesia Still Face Various Challenges

Secretary of the Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN) or Bappenas Teni Widuryanti. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Secretary of the Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN)/Bappenas National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Teni Widuriyanti said women in Indonesia need attention, because they still face various challenges.

"When it comes to women in sustainable development, it seems light, maybe not important, but actually very, very important. Women in Indonesia still face various challenges that really need attention," said Teni Widuriyanti, quoted from ANTARA, Monday, October 7.

Based on a 2024 Gender Snapshot report from the United Nation (UN) Women, it took 137 years to end extreme poverty among women.

The existence of climate change in 2050 is expected to cause around 158 million women and girls to fall into extreme poverty.

"This figure is about 16 million more than poverty on the male side, so always women who are more affected and more quickly affected by the changes that occur," he said.

Therefore, gender equality is an aspect that must be maintained and considered in order to overcome various social and economic challenges.

Teni thanked the Minister of National Development Planning/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (PPN/Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa for trusting women to occupy positions at echelon I level with almost balanced numbers with the composition of men.

"We have collaborated together to provide input that is very, very equivalent to input and of course with better quality. So, this is the evidence shown, perhaps in Bappenas it can also be an example for others. So once again, thank you, Mr. Minister for paying attention to women in our office," he said.

On average, women's participation at the national and local leadership levels is below 30 percent.

In fact, he said, the presence of women in this position is very important because it often brings a unique and different perspective than men.

In the informal sector, women often also receive wages lower than men.

This is a big challenge in realizing more equal and sustainable economic empowerment.

Women have a crucial role in realizing an economy inclusively, especially in encouraging a green economy that we can actually do with daily activities. So, ensuring that the contribution of women in various sectors can also bring improvements to more equal development, especially towards education, technology, resources, so that development can be more optimal in the future," he concluded.