Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Bintang Puspayoga, has asserted that the Indonesian government is committed to improving gender equality in the field of science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM.
“We are committed to continuing to work on this issue, both nationally and globally, through G20 Empower and W20,” Puspayoga said in a press statement issued here on Friday.
This commitment is also realized through Indonesia’s Presidency in the 2022 Ministerial Conference on Women’s Empowerment, she added.
Women have an amazing potential if they can be optimally empowered, Puspayoga remarked.
“Of the 65.4 million MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) that Indonesia has, more than half are owned and managed by women. This data shows women’s large potential as the drivers of economic recovery in the pandemic,” she said. The ministry has five priority issues, one of which is the economic empowerment of women in the gender-based entrepreneurial field, the minister said.
“Economic empowerment can be the foundation to help other issues of empowerment for women, especially for victims of disaster, victims of violence, and women household heads,” she added.
Meanwhile, to close the gender gap in the STEM field, various strategies are needed to not only boost the number of women who graduate in STEM, but also to handle issues that women face in pursuing an education and a career in STEM, Puspayoga argued.
To achieve this, the ministry has suggested a number of efforts, including a transformative campaign, promoting the profile of women STEM leaders, and women-led programs, such as training and mentorship, she informed.
“(In addition) Lauding companies that have adopted gender-equality practices in order to inspire other companies, and encourage various education centers to boost their female students’ participation in STEM activities,” she added.
Source: Antara News