Megawati urges gender equality

Megawati urges gender equality

SERANG, Banten: President Megawati Soekarnoputri called on
Wednesday for equal opportunities for women, as they made up the
majority of the population.

Speaking at an event commemorating World Population Day, which
fell on July 11, she underlined that empowering women meant
improving the nation's welfare.

Women should have a greater role in development programs, she
said. "We have to improve women's education, health and skills.
But we also have to improve protection for them."

Megawati, the first woman president of Indonesia, is highly
likely to be up for reelection in the presidential run-off on
Sept. 20.

She began speaking out on gender and women's rights issues
after being criticized heavily for ignoring women's problems in
the country. -- JP