Jakarta, (Antara) - Closing the gender gap requires complete participation of women in the working world to gain greater economic benefits, as nations strive to realize the sustainable development goals for 2030, UN resident coordinator in Indonesia stated.
"Women should be part of the economic activities in the world because advancing women's equality will add US$12 trillion to the global growth by 2025," UN resident coordinator in Indonesia Douglas Broderick noted in a talk show titled "Breaking Gender Barriers" held by the UN Women, European Union, and the Indonesian National Commission on Violence Against Women here on Thursday.
According to Broderick, no country in the world has closed the gender wage gap.
In Indonesia, for instance, women's participation in the labor market is significantly lower than men, with only 53 percent of paid working women as compared to 85 percent men.
Moreover, women, who are still restricted by traditional expectations and stereotype gender roles, are paid 30 percent less than men.
Such conditions require cooperative work by the government, private sectors, and civil society to help women to develop initiatives and offer leading opportunities as have been advocated by women's movements throughout the world.
In line with this year's International Women's Day theme "Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030," the UN proposes some actions to be carried out, such as ensuring gender-responsive economic policy, recognizing women's unpaid care and domestic work, and entrusting more women in leadership positions.
"We must value the work of women, especially those who currently work in the unpaid and informal sector, as it indeed provides a foundation for the global economy," Broderick explained.
Women should also be encouraged on non-traditional occasions by supporting them to work in male-dominated industries in order to break every taboo and improve industrial growth.
Having the same mission as the UN, the European Union has also been working together with non-governmental organizations to establish a more economically and politically inclusive society for women in Indonesia through economic empowerment, female entrepreneurship, capacity building, political participation, and gender-responsive policies.
"Indonesia's effort and progress toward the agenda of equal society is increasingly significant. Regardless of our agenda, everyday is a day to strive for equality in daily activities ranging from our households to workplaces," EU Ambassador to Indonesia Vincent Guérend noted.(*)
