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Jokowi, Kalla applauded for appointing eight women ministers
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political observer Siti Zuhro has applauded President Joko âJokowiâ Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla for having appointed a number of women as ministers in their Cabinet
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ndonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political observer Siti Zuhro has applauded President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla for having appointed a number of women as ministers in their Cabinet.
Jokowi and Kalla inaugurated on Monday their 34 ministers, including eight women, namely Foreign Minister Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi; Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya; Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti; Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek; Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa; Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Susana Yembise; State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, and Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani.
The number of women ministers in Jokowi's Cabinet is the highest since the fall of late president Soeharto.
Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appointed only four women ministers: Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi; Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu; Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar, and National Development Planning Minister Armida Alisjahbana.
'I am very happy because this is the first time women ministers account for 23 percent of the total executive body. This figure is close to the percentage of women representatives in the legislature,' Zuhro said on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.
She said she applauded Jokowi's decision to appoint women to lead ministries that were traditionally headed by male ministers, such as the Foreign Ministry, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and the Environment and Forestry Ministry.
She said she believed the higher number of women ministers would have a positive impact on Jokowi and Kalla's five-year administration.
'Women's sensitivity is higher than men's. In addition, women tend to be more careful and they go into the details of things. These are the added values you get when you choose women for leadership roles,' she explained. (alz/nfo)(+++)
