Taking place at the Grand Inna Hotel in Malioboro, an iconic tourist site with spacious sidewalks and shops, from September 12 to 20, the event is not just held for choosing a new president and new triennial theme of the ICW for the next three years.
The ICW`s general assembly also offers opportunities for the delegates of various countries to share ideas for the advancement of women and find ways to resolve women`s issues and challenges that women in the world have been facing.
Among the important issues that challenge women in many parts of the world are how they keep up with the rapid development of science and technology without losing the virtues of their cultures, values and norms.
As the host country, Indonesia will also share its experience in empowering women`s regional economy through the Village Economy Hall (Balkondes) program.
Being relevant to the ICW`s triennial theme of "Transforming society through women`s empowerment", the Yogyakarta meeting is concerned with the women`s empowerment issue.
Head of the Indonesian Women`s Congress (Kowani) Giwo Rubianto Wiyogo said at a talkshow aired by TVRI in Yogyakarta on Tuesday that the women`s empowerment issue was even part of the main concern of all stakeholders in this digital era.
In addition, the women are also challenged to respond to other pressing issues, including sexual harassment, violations of the rights of women and children, as well as access to public health and education.
Referring to the Indonesian case, she said many mothers in the island of Java die during labor. "In an hour, on average, two women die during labor. It can be prevented," Giwo noted.
Considering the importance of this 35th ICW General Assembly and National Gathering of One Thousand Indonesian Women`s Organizations in Yogyakarta for the struggle of women anywhere, this event has earlier been expected to attract delegates of 82 countries.
However, as of Wednesday, 44 countries have sent their delegates to the Yogyakarta event, said Gatot Subagio, head of the organizing committee of the ICW`s 35th General Assembly and the National Gathering of One Thousand Indonesian Women`s Organization.
Subagio said a total of 158 representatives of the 44 countries, have arrived in Yogyakarta to participate in the ICW`s general assembly during which their colleagues from one thousand Indonesian women`s organizations also gather in the city.
Despite the absence of delegates of 38 countries, Subagio said the number of participating delegates has met the quorum and the ICW`s rules of the game so that all decisions made at the Yogyakarta meeting remain legitimate.
Gatot Subagio said the organizing committee and ICW President Kim Jung-sook had actually attempted to convince the whole countries wanting to participate in the ICW`s 35th General Assembly that Yogyakarta is secure and far away from Lombok Island.
The city is more than 800 kilometers away from the disaster zones of the strong earthquake-hit island of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara Province. Thus, Yogyakarta remains secure and peaceful.
However, certain countries issued travel advisories for warning their citizens, who plan to travel to Indonesia.
For the 92-year-old Elisabeth Newman, who is currently one of the vice presidents of the ICW, the travel advisory that the Australian Government has issued does not then prevent her from coming to Yogyakarta.
Her presence in Yogyakarta is courageous and inspiring for many participants of the 35th ICW General Assembly and more than a thousand Indonesian women who join the event.
The Yogyakarta meeting that carries the ICW`s triennial theme of "Transforming society through women`s empowerment" is expected to produce concrete initiatives for women`s empowerement in all sectors.
Editing by Bambang Purwanto
Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
