NU women wing guardian of Indonesian pluralism: VP

Vice President Boediono acknowledged on Friday the pivotal role of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) women wing Fatayat as a guardian of the country’s pluralism.

Boediono said when opening the Fatayat congress at the Haj Guest House in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta the government expected the organization to promote and enhance pluralism as a driving force of national development.

“One of the Fatayat roles which I think important is its commitment to guarding pluralism in Indonesia. Fatayat has firmly promoted elimination of all forms of injustice in the society and upheld pluralism as a vision we have learned from the late Abdurrahman Wahid,” Boediono said.

Boediono was referring to former president and NU chairman, better known as Gus Dur, who died in December last year.

The Vice President said Fatayat could contribute to gender equality which remained elusive so far in the country. Indonesia ranked 93rd in the latest survey on gender gap conducted on 155 countries in the world.

“This means we need to work harder to erode gender inequality. Our efforts to reach gender equality will never end,” he said.

Women Empowerment Minister Linda Gumelar, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan, Manpower Minister Muhaimin Iskandar and Minsiter for Development in Disadvantaged Regions Helmy Faisal attended the opening ceremony.

The congress will last until Sunday.