"Fatmawati, the wife of the first President of Indonesia Soekarno, was one of the women figures who took part in fighting for the independence of our beloved country," she noted during a working visit to commemorate Mother's Day in Bengkulu on Wednesday.
Puspayoga said that the commemoration of Mother's Day every December 22 is also a momentum to remember the women heroes who struggled in the Indonesian movement for independence.
According to her, women's struggle today does not only include the various and multidimensional global challenges, but also the gender divide and the patriarchal culture that is still strong in society.
Nevertheless, she said that women have been able to show their strength by maximizing their potential in various aspects of life and development. Many Indonesian women have now come forward and proven themselves and created new and inspiring stories.
"She (Fatmawati) is a brave and truly visionary figure. This is what we think of when talking about independence struggles in Bengkulu," the minister added.
The story of how Fatmawati proceeded to sew the Red and White Flag when she heard Soekarno's plan to proclaim Indonesian independence inspires both wives and husbands to live by the principle of equal partnership, she explained.
"However, it is inseparable from the support of men as fathers or husbands that women can move forward, this is important (to note)," she said.
So far, the government has implemented actions to increase women's participation in the legislative, judiciary, and executive branches of the government.
Fatmawati's granddaughter, Puti Guntur Soekarno, said that Bengkulu, where Soekarno was exiled by the Dutch, marked the beginning of Indonesia’s independence struggle.
"After Soekarno was exiled in Ende, then brought to Bengkulu, Soekarno came up with the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia concept," she added.
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Translator: Sugiharto P, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
