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Women's economic role vital to national development
Catherine M
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Catherine M. Russell: (Courtesy of US Embassy) (Courtesy of US Embassy)
Catherine M. Russell: (Courtesy of US Embassy)
Increasing women's participation in economic activities has been vital to improving the lives of their families and entire societies as well as their countries, the US Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues Catherine M. Russell says.
In an interview with The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women and Economy Forum in Nusa Dua last weekend, Russell said that promoting gender equality and advancing the status of all women and girls around the world, including those living in the Asia-Pacific region, remained the biggest challenges at the present time.
'It is important to enable women to participate in economic activity. It is one of the ways for any country in the world to accelerate development and to eliminate poverty as women will invest their incomes in their child's health, nutrition and education that will in turn improve their family's living condition,' said Russell, who was in Bali from Sept. 5-9 on her first overseas mission since being appointed to her present position.
'Attending the APEC Women and Economy Forum in Bali, Indonesia, is my first overseas duty and I am very excited to learn about women's conditions in the country,' she said.
During her stay in Bali for the APEC Women's Forum, Russell made the opening remarks for the APEC WEF Young Women's Innovators Awards during the Public-Private Dialogue on Women and the Economy.
She addressed the APEC Joint SME-WEF Ministerial Meeting, which included SME ministers and ministers responsible for women's issues, highlighting the US State Department work in support of women's entrepreneurship.
Russell also discussed bilateral issues with government officials from APEC economies and met with private sector leaders to examine ways to strengthen women's economic participation in the region and further integrate gender considerations into the APEC process.
She praised Indonesian women's entrepreneurship upon visiting a silver jewelry factory owned by Balinese businesswoman Nyoman Desak Suarti in Ketewel village, Gianyar, which employs more than 100 workers, mostly women. 'She can become a role model from Indonesia for women's entrepreneurship. I will share her success story,' the ambassador said.
In efforts to boost participation in the public sphere, she underlined the need to give wider access to girls and women to education, health, job opportunities and working capital.
The US has strongly committed to raising the status of women and girls around the world and underscores its commitment to preventing and responding to gender-based violence, including domestic violence and violence against girls and women.
'Domestic violence has been so pervasive even in the US,' she said, adding that such violence undermined the safety, dignity and human rights of the millions of individuals who experience it, as well as threatened public health, economic stability and security.
Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy Kristen F. Bauer noted that the US government had supported various girls and women's empowerment programs, such as sports exchange for girls, gender equality in athletics, training for young female entrepreneurs, education and scholarship.
'Half of our scholarship recipients are girls and women,' Bauer said.
'Despite our [US government] strong commitment and the commitment of every world government to address women's issues around the world, it is the women in every country who have to stand up, to raise their voices and to fight for their basic human rights,' stated Russell.
Through the APEC platforms, governments, private sectors and all stakeholders must work together to enhance the lives of girls and women, to increase their participation in economic and political fields to achieve gender equality and to eliminate any form of discrimination against women and girls, she said.
