MPR: 2026 Economic Census a Momentum for Data-Driven Inclusive Policy

Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat stated that the 2026 Economic Census is a momentum to obtain detailed and comprehensive data to realise inclusive economic policies. “The implementation of the 2026 Economic Census is a strategic step to obtain detailed and comprehensive data as a basis for implementing policies that can increase women’s participation in the economic sector,” said Lestari Moerdijat, known as Rerie, in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday. According to her, the Economic Census conducted by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in May-August 2026 must produce detailed data so that it can become a basis for decision-makers in formulating policies. In this way, she believes that the resulting policies will be well-targeted and responsive to the real obstacles faced by women. Without adequate data, she argued, efforts to promote economic equality for women will only stagnate. “When we fight for women’s rights, we are actually striving to strengthen the nation’s civilisation. Currently, women are still facing structural and cultural glass walls that hinder their access to decent work and strategic positions,” she said. Referring to BPS data as of February 2026, Rerie noted that the gap remains wide, as the female labour force participation rate (TPAK) has only reached around 56.63 percent, while the male rate stands at 84.40 percent. She highlighted that 61 percent of women work in the informal sector, which offers minimal protection and social security. Furthermore, a wage gap persists, with the average wage for female workers at Rp2.80 million per month, lower than the Rp3.55 million earned by male workers. According to her, the 2026 Economic Census conducted by BPS is a step forward, especially as it involves collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection and Permodalan Nasional Madani to reach more women micro-entrepreneurs. “We need more than just counting the number of business actors. The census or survey conducted must be able to capture in detail the types of barriers experienced by women, whether it is the double burden, access to capital, financial literacy, or cultural stigma that limits their job choices,” she said. She added that sharper data will help the government measure the effectiveness of existing programmes. Rerie expressed hope that the data from the 2026 Economic Census can serve as a foundation for achieving a better female labour force participation rate and for fostering an inclusive and equitable economic ecosystem for all Indonesians. “Data is key. With detailed data, we can design affirmative policies that not only provide access to capital, but also mentoring, capacity building, and recognition of women’s economic contributions that have so far been invisible,” she said.