"Women's progress must begin with the fulfillment of basic rights, followed by the enforcement of justice, and realized through concrete actions in sustainable development policies and programs," she said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.
She noted that a key principle of inclusive and sustainable development is gender equality. This means that women and men have equal rights, opportunities, access, and participation, as well as equal control over resources and the benefits of development.
According to Fauzi, various studies show that empowering women contributes to better maternal and child health, strengthens family resilience, and increases the community's economic productivity.
"Thus, gender equality is not just a women's issue, but a vital part of a national development strategy that is inclusive, sustainable, and just," she added.
She further stated that Indonesian women are now holding increasingly strategic positions, following significant progress across various development sectors.
In terms of human development, Indonesia's Gender Development Index (GDI) has continued to show improvements. In 2022, the GDI stood at 91.63, then increased to 91.85 in 2023, and remained at the same score in 2024.
This, she said, indicated that the development gap between men and women is narrowing, particularly in health, education, and living standards. Aligned with the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, the government continues to prioritize closing the gender gap.
According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the Gender Inequality Index (GII) dropped to 0.421 in 2024, down from 0.447 in the previous year, signaling a significant step forward in gender equality.
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Translator: Anita Permata, Raka Adji
Editor: Arie Novarina
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