"Women are the nation's pillars and supporter of the citizens' lives," the minister told ANTARA in Tabuan Asri Village here on Monday.
"Why are women the supporter of citizens' lives? It is because if we observe families, majority of the women are family managers," she explained.
To this day, several women in various regions still experience unpleasant behavior due to the eastern tradition, such as patriarchal culture, still griping the nation.
This eastern culture causes women to face discrimination and marginalization in societal activities
This is despite the fact that women hold myriad potential that is apparent, regardless of whether people want to or not.
One of such potentials is that women possess high social empathy and sensitivity that can help in searching for solutions in various conditions.
Every woman can also help the nation to improve economic resiliency as well as families with the tenacity and detail-oriented mindset that they possess while dealing with a problem.
Hence, women should be involved in every existing development, as those characteristics are crucial for economic empowerment, the minister remarked.
However, the minister emphasized that the advancement of women and also children's empowerment cannot be separated from the support of men as fathers, brothers, and husbands, so that they can experience equality.
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"The opportunity is actually open for women. Hence, through this opportunity, let us reap all existing opportunities and chances," she remarked.
Since women constitute half of the Indonesian population, Puspayoga urged all women to support, motivate, and inspire one another to open wide the possibility of being involved in development.
She also expects children, as the future generation, to become an investment to build a bigger and stronger nation.
This is achieved by heeding to their problems, so that all rights and protection provided by the government can be more optimal.
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Translator: Hreeloita D S, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
