Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia: Women Need Role Models Who Have Succeeded

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia, Jess Dutton, described as crucial for women to meet and interact with women who have achieved success in their fields and to regard them as role models.

That was stated by the ambassador during the ‘Speed Mentoring in Celebration of International Women’s Day 2026’ event organised by the Canadian Embassy in Jakarta on Wednesday.

‘The main aim is to give young women the opportunity to ask questions and learn from the experiences of several women who have been highly successful in their chosen fields,’ said Ambassador Dutton.

According to him, it is not only the success that should be observed, but also the challenges faced and how to overcome them, where the presence of role models is important as inspiration and for shared learning and for advancing gender equality.

Ambassador Dutton emphasised that progress towards gender equality is a priority of Canada’s international cooperation programme in Indonesia.

He noted that Canada has a number of projects related to health and sexual and reproductive rights, working with communities to eliminate issues such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, and reducing cases of gender-based violence.

Canada is also striving to support women’s health, said the ambassador, particularly with regard to nutrition and dietary support for pregnant women and young children in the early years of life, as well as supporting midwifery to help reduce child mortality and maternal mortality in Indonesia.

‘We support women’s economic empowerment through several projects I have mentioned, and giving women a voice in communities so they can better understand and advocate for their rights in their villages and communities,’ he added.

The Canadian Embassy organised the ‘Speed Mentoring in Celebration of International Women’s Day 2026’ event to mark International Women’s Day, which falls on 8 March, by inviting successful women in their chosen fields and female university students as participants.