Eight million women illiterate

MATARAM: State Minister of Women's Empowerment Sri Rejeki Soemaryoto revealed on Wednesday that the number of illiterate women in the country stood at about eight million, twice the number of illiterate men.

Speaking after a meeting with Muslim clerics at the Aziziyah Islamic boarding school in West Lombok, Sri Redjeki vowed to reduce the number of illiterate women as soon as possible.

She, however, failed to spell out plans to bring down the number.

Sri Rejeki called on the people to organize study groups in districts and regencies to work toward the eradication of illiteracy.

Apart from illiteracy, Indonesian women face other problems including high infant and maternal mortality rates, she said. -- Antara