Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs: 60 Percent of MSMEs Run by Women

Jakarta, InfoPublik - Women entrepreneurs in Indonesia increased significantly by 1.6 million people from 12.7 million in 2015 to 14.3 million in 2016. In addition, about 23 percent of Asian entrepreneurs are women, and grew 8 percent per year.

Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs’ Deputy of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Sujatmiko said in Indonesia, women entrepreneurs are mostly involved in micro and small scale. Of approximately 52 million SMEs in Indonesia, 60 percent are run by women.

"MSMEs are  most resistant to monetary, economic, food and energy crisis that hit the world including Indonesia in the past 10 years. Therefore, women must be fully supported to become entrepreneurs, "said Sujatmiko, Wednesday (21/2).

He expected that women empowerment in the country to include identified potential (human resources, funding sources, access) from every stakeholders, development and evaluation of each empowerment program (advantages and disadvantages), collaboration and synchronization of women empowerment programs among stakeholders as well as to improve women's competence to become financially independent and to increase women's role in politics. Adequate competence is expected to  prevent and to minimize problems of female migrant worker, especially  the employment of non-procedural  female migrant workers.

Sujatmiko also said that women's empowerment is an extensive and diversed field. If it tend to be identified with economic problems, especially SMEs, it is because it is undeniable that  SMEs is a means for women to work and to foster competitiveness.

"On the other hand, women empowerment can become an easy access for government’s program and services," Sujatmiko said. (Translator: Sugiarti)