Indonesia Reaffirms Commitment to Gender Equality at CSW 69 Ministerial Meeting

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia’s Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Arifah Fauzi, underscored the country’s commitment to accelerating gender equality and women’s empowerment during the 69th ministerial meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York.

“Indonesia is strongly committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment. This commitment is the main driver for our real action in reducing the gender inequality index from 0.472 in 2020 to 0.447 in 2023. This was a result of various policies and programs designed to improve women’s welfare in various aspects of life,” Fauzi stated in an official statement on Friday.

During the forum, the minister highlighted three key approaches undertaken by the Indonesian government to enhance women’s empowerment nationwide.

The first approach involves mainstreaming women’s empowerment at all levels, starting from the grassroots and involving the broader community. This strategy is reflected in Indonesia’s National Long-Term and Medium-Term Development Plans, which align with the Vision of Golden Indonesia 2045. Fauzi emphasized that this policy framework supports improvements in education, healthcare, social assistance, and women’s participation in various regions, including rural communities.

The second approach focuses on strengthening women’s leadership and participation across all sectors. Fauzi pointed out that women’s involvement in climate action, health, education, and other fields demonstrates their role as not just beneficiaries but also key agents of social change and leadership.

“The third approach is Indonesia’s investment in women’s empowerment. Budget allocation is key to ensuring that all strategies are effectively implemented. Therefore, the government has enforced gender-responsive budgeting in programs such as the Village Fund, the Smart Indonesia Program, and the Family Hope Program,” the minister stated.

Fauzi further noted that since 2021, Indonesia has consistently allocated Non-Physical Special Allocation Funds to support the prevention and response efforts for violence against women and children across the country.

Indonesia’s commitment at the CSW 69 ministerial meeting reaffirms its dedication to advancing gender equality and fostering an inclusive society where women can actively contribute to national development.