Heaptalk, Jakarta — With the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on Thursday (03/28) the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA) launched Indonesia’s Roadmap on Care Economy at the Le Meridien Hotel, Jakarta.
This launch was marked by the handing over of the Care Economy Roadmap from the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga to ministries and institutions which was witnessed by the ILO Director for Indonesia and Timor Leste Simrin C. Singh.
In his remarks, KPPA Deputy for Gender Equality Lenny N. Rosalin said this launch exhibits Indonesia’s commitment to accelerate the transformation of the care economy, build more gender-equal work, and boost the participation rate of women in the workforce as an effort to achieve the Golden Indonesia Vision 2045.
“This roadmap includes seven priorities related to diverse substantial issues regarding care work as follows: Developing accessible, affordable, and high-quality early childhood care and education services; strengthening aged care and long-term care services; increasing inclusive and integrated services for people with disabilities, people living with HIV, people in need, survivors of violence and other vulnerable groups; Increasing greater access to maternity leave; increasing men’s involvement, including paternity leave; recognizing decent work for care workers; and implement social protection programs for the care economy,” she said.
Outlining several strategic priorities
Aligned with the 2025-2045 Long-Term National Development Plan (RPJPN), according to Lenny, these priorities have been elaborated into seventeen Golden Indonesia Goals, primarily to support the achievement of Golden Indonesia No. 3 on Adaptive Social Protection; No. 4 on Science, Innovation and Economic Productivity; and No. 14 on Quality Families, Gender Equality, and Inclusive Society.
Lenny voiced, “Several strategic priorities for the care economy have also been outlined in the 2025-2029 Medium Term National Development Plan (RPJMN). By including this road map in the medium and long-term development plans, the government demonstrates a large commitment to investment in the care economy as a driver of Indonesia’s economic growth.”
Meanwhile, ILO Director for Indonesia and Timor Leste Simrin C. Singh delivered that the ILO’s latest research on the care economy in Indonesia found that investment in universal child care and long-term care services in this country would create nearly 10.4 million jobs by 2035, of which almost 4.3 million are directly employed in childcare. Approximately 4.3 million are directly employed in long-term care and 1.7 million are in the non-care sector.
Simrin Singh also congratulated Indonesia on the development of the Care Economy Roadmap as part of the national strategy and program. “ILO appreciates Indonesia’s transformative initiative through the Roadmap to create a more gender-equal world of work and recognizes the important contribution of women to the world of work and national economic growth. ILO will continue to support Indonesia in making greater investments in policy and transformation of the care economy that ensures maternity protection, paternity leave, early childhood education and care, as well as long-term care services,” she said.
Gender inequality becoming a global challenge
Meanwhile, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga in her speech conveyed that gender inequality has become a global challenge that continues to grow since the Covid-19 pandemic in multiple aspects including employment.
“Women constitute almost half of Indonesia’s population, data shows that 49.5% of Indonesia’s population are women. However, it is very unfortunate that the participation rate is quite high with the gap is 30%. The number is 84% compared to 34%. And this becomes a concern for all of us, especially KPPPA since women have a big contribution to the country,” said Bintang Puspayoga.
Closing her remarks, Bintang Puspayoga hopes that the Indonesian Care Economy Roadmap can encourage the creation of a work environment that supports, empowers, and protects women and children. In this way, they can reach their full potential in a rapidly developing economy.
