Jakarta (ANTARA) - Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), Puan Maharani, was asked by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to serve as its ambassador for the promotion of women's leadership in legislative councils.

During a meeting with IPU President Tulia Ackson held on the sidelines of the 148th IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on Saturday (March 23), Maharani accepted the request, stating her readiness to take on the role.

"Women can surely collaborate to spotlight gender equality and women's empowerment at the global level. On behalf of the DPR, I am ready to provide support and cooperate to achieve those goals," she noted in a statement received from her office here on Sunday.

She then called on female house speakers to solidify their commitment to bolstering women's participation in politics while noting that the DPR is ready to help highlight the issue.

Maharani also congratulated Ackson on her appointment as the 31st President of the IPU during the 147th IPU Assembly that took place in Angola in October last year.

She underscored that Ackson is the third woman to serve as the president of the IPU, becoming the first African woman to assume the role.

The Indonesian lawmaker then commended the IPU leader for her commitment to encouraging international cooperation in promoting peace and the values of democracy.

She expressed her belief that the Tanzanian legislator would lead the IPU to become a more effective, accountable, and transparent union.

Ackson, for her part, explained that the request for Maharani to become an IPU ambassador was based on the latter's success in becoming the first female house speaker in Indonesia.

She remarked that the IPU would task Maharani with visiting countries whose women have yet to take more active roles in politics.

Such visits are meant to raise awareness about the importance of women's representation in decision-making processes, she stated.

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Translator: Bagus Ahmad, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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