Science requires women and we need to encourage more women and science in Indonesia."
Depok, West Java (ANTARA News) - Indonesias First Lady Ani Bambang Yudhoyono has received an award from LOreal and UNESCO as a leader in the Womens Empowerment of Education.

The award ceremony took place at the University of Indonesia during a series of commemorative events of the decade organized by LOreal and UNESCO to honor "Women in Science, The World Science Day for Peace and Development."

"This award is in recognition of her commitment and innovative contribution towards increasing women and childrens living standards in Indonesia," Deputy Director, UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Shabaz Khan said on Tuesday.

The initiative launched by the Indonesian presidents wife had pioneered the transformative power of literacy and education in the country, Shabaz said.

Shabaz added that there were three reasons that the award was being presented to the first lady, the first being that she was investing in women and thereby multiplying the effect in literacy and education for women, family and community.

Secondly, the initiative was very informative and had allowed women to obtain knowledge and skills to create new opportunities in life.

Thirdly, she had placed the sustainability principle as the center of all initiatives making it environment friendly.

The Managing Director of LOreal South Asia Pacific Pierre Yves Arzel said that his institution had always helped women in science by providing them with the means to build a better world.

"Science requires women and we need to encourage more women and science in Indonesia," he stated.

Meanwhile the First Lady Ani Yudhoyono expressed her gratitude on receiving the award.

The First Lady said she looked forward to women researchers being able to promote Indonesia and would continue to fight for fair and equitable education for women.

Ani also said that the Indonesian people not only needed to advance in science, but also needed a cultured and civilized society.

The Executive Chairman of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Arief Rahman said in his speech that to educate a man was only for that man.

"But to educate a woman is equal to educating a generation," Arief said.
(Uu.INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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