DPD Group Workshop at MPR Emphasises Women's Role in the Digital Era
The Chairman of the DPD Group in the MPR, Dedi Iskandar Batubara, in his opening remarks, emphasised that the digital era has brought fundamental changes to societal life.
“Digital transformation has altered the way we interact, access information, and form opinions. Social media has now become a new public space that greatly influences the direction of national values, culture, and character,” he stated in a written release on Sunday (12/4/2026).
He stressed that women hold a highly strategic position in this context. As madrasatul ula, the first educators in the family, women play a crucial role in forming the character foundation of the younger generation.
In the digital era, this role expands further because women are not only technology users but also active social actors in education, advocacy, and democratic participation.
“Women today determine the direction of public narratives. Their role is no longer limited to the domestic sphere but is strongly present in the digital space,” he added.
Nevertheless, this Senator from North Sumatra also highlighted the real challenges faced by women in the digital realm. He revealed that women remain vulnerable to digital violence such as body shaming, misogyny, and double standards that often appear on social media.
“Digital algorithms often promote sensation and virality, which not infrequently sacrifice truth and ethics. This poses a serious challenge to nation-building character,” he asserted.
On the other hand, he appreciated the growing awareness and critical capacity of women, particularly the younger generation, in responding to the flow of information. Now, women are increasingly active as content producers and drivers of public opinion, as well as utilising social media as a source of knowledge for families and society.
Dedi also spotlighted the social pressures faced by women in expressing themselves in the digital era due to the tension between authentic identity and normative social expectations. This, in his view, also affects character formation, both for individuals and the generations that emulate them.
Furthermore, he affirmed that women have a key role in the family as information curators, selecting, understanding, and transmitting values to the next generation. Thus, women become the main foundation in building a healthy and characterful information ecosystem.
In the context of democracy, women’s participation in the digital space is seen as enriching public discourse. However, challenges remain in the form of bullying, discrimination, and delegitimisation of women’s voices, necessitating strengthened capacity, protection, and collective solidarity.
As a forward step, Dedi underlined the importance of strategic agendas such as strengthening value- and ethics-based digital literacy, creating safe, inclusive, and gender-just digital spaces, and optimising women’s role as agents of nation-building character.
“Nation-building character in the digital era is greatly determined by the quality of women’s roles. Women are the main pillar in building a healthy and characterful digital ecosystem,” he concluded.
Through this workshop, it is hoped that a space for consolidating ideas, strengthening capacity, and affirming women’s roles will be created, enabling them to become the main force in safeguarding the moral direction and national character amid the rapid current of digitalisation.
For information, this workshop, divided into two discussion sessions, was attended by the Regional Board (PW) of Angkatan Putri Al-Washliyah of North Sumatra Province and featured speakers from DPD leadership and members in the MPR, namely Habib Ali Alwi, Elviana, and Maya Rumantir. Additionally, experts and academics from academia and education activists, namely Asnil Aidah Ritonga, Zubaidah Khan, and Meyniar Albina, were present.