Jakarta, 3 December 2021. The handover of the G20 Presidency from Italy to Indonesia was carried out at the G20 Rome Summit on October 31, 2021. The G20 Presidency of Indonesia was officially effective starting on December 1, 2021. This inauguration event aims to promote the G20 Presidency of Indonesia to the national and international community, including the theme of the G20 Presidency Indonesia "Recover Together, Recover Stronger" with the main topics to be raised by the G20 Indonesia Presidency, namely: Global Health, Economic and Digital Transformation, and Energy Transition. President Joko Widodo said that the G20 presidency is trust and honor for Indonesia. This was stated by President Joko Widodo during a speech at the G20 Indonesia Presidency Opening event at Banteng Square and which was broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Wednesday, December 1, 2021.
“This trust is an opportunity for Indonesia to contribute more to the world's economic recovery, to build a healthier, more just, and more sustainable world governance based on independence, lasting peace, and social justice,” said the President of the Republic of Indonesia. The President also believes that togetherness is the answer to a future full of the spirit of solidarity. For this reason, Indonesia strives to produce concrete initiatives to encourage the recovery of the global situation so that it recovers quickly and becomes strong.
On this occasion, under the coordination of the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA) of the Republic of Indonesia, Chair of the Indonesian Women's Congress (KOWANI) Hadriani Uli Silalahi and President Director & CEO of XL Axiata Dian Siswarini as Chair & Co-Chair of Women20 Indonesia were also present in person at the inauguration of the Indonesian G20 Presidency. In addition, the Director & Chief Strategic Transformation & Information Office of XL Axiata Yessie D. Yosetya and the Chair of the Standing Committee for Education of the Indonesian Women Entrepreneurs Association (IWAPI) Rinawati Prihatiningsih as Chair and Co-Chair of G20 EMPOWER were also present. On that occasion, all Chairs & Co-Chairs were also officially asked by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy of the Republic of Indonesia to begin their duties of chairing their Working Group in the Indonesian Presidency for the next 1 year.
Chairperson of the Indonesian Women's Congress (KOWANI) Hadriani Uli Silalahi as Chair of Women20 Indonesia said, “Together with KOWANI as the largest Women's Federation in Indonesia, we have always actively participated in the success of the G20 Indonesia Presidency 2022, especially regarding women's issues, gender equality, as well as the rights of women with disabilities, where women have an important role in the economy of a country. We are also committed to ensuring that women's issues are included as a priority issue in the G20 leaders' declarations.”
Meanwhile, President Director & CEO of XL Axiata Dian Siswarini as Co-Chair of Women20 Indonesia said, “We will continue to be committed to actively participate in the success of the G20 Indonesia Presidency 2022, especially in terms of women's issues and gender equality. The importance of women's participation, especially in global economic development, makes women's environment very influential to be more productive, confident, responsible and able to express their aspirations. ”
Women20 (W20) Engagement Group is a G20 engagement group that forms a women's empowerment network to encourage the adoption of G20 commitments on women's issues. The main objective of the W20 is to promote women's economic empowerment as an integral part of the G20 process. Diversity and full participation are critical to fostering resilient, sustainable and viable economies and societies, whereas homogeneous systems bear risks and uncertainties. The economic empowerment of women is thus fundamental to a prosperous world and essential for economic growth, a stable economy and social development.
Director & Chief Strategic Transformation & Information Officer of XL Axiata Yessie D. Yosetya as Chair of G20 EMPOWER Indonesia added, “The private sector will collaborate with the government and a number of related community institutions, and will continue to focus on improving women's leadership programs in the business world and developing a more resilient and sustainable talent of women workers. According to her, the presence of women in leadership positions is fundamental to a country's economic growth and can be used to assess a country's competitiveness.”
The Chair of the Standing Committee for Education of the Indonesian Women Entrepreneurs Association (IWAPI) Rinawati Prihatiningsih as Chair of G20 EMPOWER Indonesia said, “G20 EMPOWER under the G20 Indonesia Presidency will continue its commitment to increase and strengthen economic empowerment and women's participation at the leadership level in ambitious concrete actions from countries that are members of the G20 with pragmatic policies and steps to address current and future challenges through close collaboration of all parties to realize the empowerment and advancement of women's economic representation that is gender-equal and equitable. ”
The G20 EMPOWER Working Group is an alliance that brings together representatives of the private sector and government partners from G20 countries with a common goal of accelerating the process of leadership and empowerment of women in the private sector, identifying concrete actions to be taken in three main focus areas namely: promoting productivity through strengthening human resources, innovation for production and an inclusive economy as well as improving the quality of education and soft skills; increase resilience and ensure growth; inclusiveness, sustainability and stability.
G20 EMPOWER Series Webinar
To welcome the G20 Indonesia Presidency 2022, the PPPA Ministry together with the G20 Empower Focal Point held a webinar with the theme "Encouraging Gender Equality in the World of Work and Business", Thursday (2/12). This event aims to share experiences from both the public and private sectors in promoting gender equality in the world of work and business, as well as in providing recommendations and input for improving systems and policies related to gender equality in the world of work and business.
Acting Deputy for Community Participation of the PPPA Ministry Indra Gunawan, who opened the webinar, stated that during Indonesia's period as the G20 Presidency 2022, G20 EMPOWER will continue to promote the importance of women's leadership in the world of work in Indonesia. According to him, there are several issues of mutual concern, namely how to increase corporate accountability in achieving Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for increasing the role of women. Then, encourage the role of women SMEs as economic drivers through various policies, programs, and activities owned by the company. Then also about how to build and improve STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) issues, especially for women so that they are ready for the upcoming world of work.
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Manpower and Chair of WG Employment G20 Anwar Sanusi said that the policy directions and strategies related to gender had been set in the 2020-2024 RPJMN. Some of them concern the improvement of gender equality and women's empowerment, including how to strengthen regulations and accelerate the implementation of gender mainstreaming in ministry institutions. It is also about increasing the role and participation of women in development, especially in education, health, economy, labor, as well as politics, public office, and decision making.
Meanwhile, President Director of Bank OCBC NISP and Advocates of G20 Empower Parwati Surjaudaja stated that currently, at least 55% of employees of her company are women, while for the board of directors or senior management level around 40% are women. According to her, the conditions that encourage this achievement include understanding and commitment from the organization. Understanding concerns that women and men are different but equal, one is better than the other but complements each other. With gender equality, the company becomes better and more sustainable.
Furthermore, there is an organizational commitment to building an inclusive ecosystem in every aspect of the business, at every level and in every function, so that gender equality can grow organically in the company environment. They continue to be motivated, moreover, this commitment to gender equality has received appreciation from the IFC Word Bank, which in 2020 became the first bank in Indonesia to receive gender bond, namely funding specifically allocated to support Indonesian women entrepreneurs.