KPPPA: Women must be able to participate equally in national development

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring women and girls obtain protection and equal participation opportunities in national development.

“This theme reminds us that women’s progress must begin with the fulfilment of fundamental rights, continue with the enforcement of justice, and be realised through concrete action in sustainable development policies and programmes,” she said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.

She stated that one of the important principles in inclusive and sustainable development is gender equality, which means women and men have equal rights, opportunities, access, participation, and control over development resources and benefits.

Various studies, she said, demonstrate that women’s empowerment contributes to improved maternal and child health, strengthens family resilience, and increases economic productivity within communities.

“Therefore, gender equality is not merely a women’s issue but an important part of an inclusive, sustainable, and equitable national development strategy,” she said.

She noted that Indonesian women now occupy increasingly strategic positions, coinciding with significant progress across various development sectors.

From the perspective of human development, Indonesia’s Gender Development Index (GDI) continues to show improvement. In 2022, the GDI was recorded at 91.63, then increased to 91.85 in 2023 and remained at the same figure in 2024.

“This indicates that the development gap between women and men is narrowing, particularly in the aspects of health, education, and living standards,” Arifah Fauzi said.