The statement was made by the Indonesian delegation at the APEC-World Economic Forum 2017 in Hue City, Vietnam.
The Indonesian delegation highlighted the importance of empowering women in micro, small, and medium enterprises, as almost 60 percent of those in Indonesia were managed by women.
Leader of the Indonesian delegation on "APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy" (HLPDWE) Ambassador Sudirman Haseng stated that currently, the Indonesian government is implementing a program or mechanism to boost the domestic industry to reduce the poverty rate.
According to Haseng, this mechanism was expected to intensify cross-sectoral cooperation to empower enterprises, which also helps to reduce violence against women and children, trafficking, economical gap, and encourage women to play a more active role in developing the economy.
"The mechanism to boost the domestic industry is also aimed at helping women entrepreneurs have greater access to capital, information and technology, market, and training, and it is eventually expected to improve the welfare of families," Haseng noted.
According to Haseng, the role of women in the economy is not yet optimized; thus, a more innovative, holistic, and coordinated approach is needed. Moreover, the APEC agrees to be more effective in boosting entrepreneurship and job opportunities for women.
Moreover, the APEC will ensure that each of its members implements policies to ensure equal wages for both men and women and drive womens representation at the leadership level.
The forum also urged all APEC member countries to provide more opportunities for womens education in all sectors, especially for driving economic development.
Furthermore, the entrepreneurs expressed hope that the government would provide easier access and a special quota for women-led enterprises.
The APEC HLPDWE produced a document "2017 APEC Women and the Economy Forum Statement" that contained one of the aspects to improve the role of women in village development, which along with lowering poverty, are among Indonesias priorities at the APEC forum.
Delegates attending the forum also agreed on a US$1.8 million fund to improve APEC-related programs for women entrepreneurs.
Uu.Ian/KR-MBR/INE/o001
Editor: Ida Nurcahyani
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
