KPPPA Values The COVID-19 Pandemic Has More Impact On Women Than Men

KPPPA's Deputy for Gender Equality for Children Lenny N. Rosalin/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Deputy for Gender Equality at the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Lenny N. Rosalin encourages formal financial institutions in Indonesia to be more gender inclusive as an effort to expand women's access to financing sources. "The COVID-19 pandemic has had a greater impact on women's groups than women. men, especially for women who work in the restaurant, hotel industry, homeworkers and the informal sector such as MSMEs," said Lenny through a press release in Jakarta, Monday 14 March. Gender inequality is increasing due to the decline in female labor force participation. Deputy Lenny said that access to financial services for women, especially those who are entrepreneurs, really allows the general public to get out of poverty.

In addition, overall, financial inclusion also contributes to the financial stability of a country.

"We encourage financial literacy and inclusion for women because this has a positive impact on the achievements of various development indicators and formal financial institutions are expected to be more gender inclusive," said Lenny. National Financial Inclusion (SNKI). This strategy aims to promote an inclusive, efficient and stable financial system to encourage economic growth, reduce poverty and inequality between communities and regions to support shared prosperity. Lenny said the SNKI had included women as one of the groups. targets, but the strategy has not yet developed detailed interventions specifically for women. "For example, interventions that consider gender disparities and the factors that prevent women from accessing and benefiting from various financial products and services," he said.