TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) held an FGD on empowering women in rural areas, aiming to strengthen gender equality policies and enhance women’s roles in inclusive village development across Indonesia.

The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) in Jakarta from November 6 to 8, 2024, aimed at assessing and enhancing policies on women’s empowerment in rural areas. This initiative seeks to advance inclusive and sustainable development at the grassroots level, emphasizing the role of women in driving village progress.

The FGD, themed "Strengthening Women's Empowerment in Village Development," provided a platform for participants to review current empowerment policies and identify ways to promote gender equality both nationally and at the community level. "The purpose of this FGD is to re-evaluate existing policies on women’s empowerment and to drive the optimization of gender equality, not only at the national scale but down to the village level," said Eni Rukawiani, the Acting Secretary of the Deputy for Regional Development Equity and Disaster Management at Kemenko PMK.

Kemenko PMK considers women's empowerment in villages as a vital component in achieving sustainable national development. This aligns with the fourth pillar of the Prabowo-Gibran administration's Astacita vision, which prioritizes gender equality as a core national objective. Strengthening the role of women in rural development is seen as essential for fostering communities that are resilient, inclusive, and responsive to the diverse needs of all citizens.

The FGD employed a qualitative approach to gather insights from a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives from the central government, local governments, and women’s groups. Participants discussed empowerment concepts and practical strategies that can serve as guidance for village authorities as they formulate participatory and inclusive development plans. This approach emphasizes grassroots involvement, ensuring that women’s voices are integrated into the planning and implementation processes.

Elan Satriawan, Head of the Policy Team at the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction (TNP2K), underscored the urgency of gender mainstreaming in Indonesia. “Indonesia has established numerous regulations and ratified international agreements on gender equality, yet disparities remain stark,” he said. One telling indicator is the female labor force participation rate, which stands at just 54.4 percent, significantly lower than the 84 percent participation rate among men. This statistic highlights the ongoing need for policy interventions that can bridge these gender gaps, particularly in rural regions where women often face additional social and economic barriers.

In addition to representatives from Kemenko PMK, the forum included participants from various government and non-governmental institutions, such as the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), and the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan). This cross-sectoral collaboration reflects a shared commitment to accelerating the creation of villages that are more inclusive and sensitive to gender equality issues.

The discussions also focused on implementing and scaling up successful empowerment practices across regions. Participants emphasized the importance of building local leadership and governance capacities to create a supportive environment for women's economic participation, education, and health. By ensuring that women are actively involved in decision-making, rural communities can benefit from a more balanced and representative development process.(*)

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