Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards Puts the Spotlight on Indonesian Businesses in Advancing Gender Equality
Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards Puts the Spotlight on Indonesian Businesses in Advancing Gender Equality
UN Women announced today the winners from Indonesia for UN Women 2020 Asia Pacific Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards. The National WEPs Awards, supported by the European Union, are presented to Indonesian business leaders and companies for their contribution to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in their businesses. The Awards are part of the 2020 UN Women Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards, the first awards initiative in Asia Pacific, to recognize exemplary business practice for gender equality and inspire others to take action.
Over 60 applications were received for the Awards – in the six categories: Leadership, Youth Leadership (for leaders aged 30 or below), Gender-Inclusive Workplace, Gender-Responsive Marketplace, Community and Industry Engagement, and COVID-19 Action. The COVID-19 is exposing women’s vulnerabilities to economic shocks and deepening the pre-existing inequalities in Indonesia. The Awards is timely because it is an opportunity to highlight and share business practices, as well as inspire other leaders to advance gender equality across their entire value chain, especially during this challenging time, as a key to build back better.
“Gender equality and women’s empowerment are crucial in strengthening the national economy. The role of women is key in the quest to promote shared prosperity for all. However, there are still challenges to overcome,” H.E. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance in her opening remarks. “I would like to encourage and congratulate for the business leaders and players who believe in promoting gender equality; not only because it is the right thing to do, but also it is contributing to the economy and global prosperity.”
The winners for the National WEPs Awards announced today, were:
- For Leadership: DR Noni S.A. Purnomo, B.Eng, MBA, Presiden Direktur PT Blue Bird Tbk
- For Youth Leadership: Vania Santoso, Co-Founder of heySTARTIC
- For Gender-Inclusive Workplace: Telkomtelstra
- For Gender-Responsive Marketplace: Bukalapak
- For Community and Industry Engagement: Gojek
- For COVID-19 Action: Indosat Ooredoo
“The WEPs Awards is a landmark moment to celebrate the gains for women’s empowerment, but there is still a long way to go. This is not a road where we can travel alone. The call is for all of us to take a stand and act wherever we are. That includes the offices where we work as we ensure decent working conditions for both women and men, and equal pay for equal work regardless of sector or industry,“ said Jamshed M. Kazi, UN Women Representative and Liaison to ASEAN.
H.E. Vincent Piket, Ambassador of the European Union to Indonesia, recognises the importance of collaboration with the private sectors to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. “Today, the European Union joins in celebrating champion and defenders of equality in the business world. I salute the chief executives who have acted to ensure gender inclusion and diversity is a lived reality for the employees, suppliers, and communities they support. Ensuring women's equal opportunity and economic justice and rights is an arduous task, but we believe in the ability of businesses to drive immediate progress,“ said Ambassador Piket.
The WEPs Awards are made as part of the of the wider initiative by the EU-funded project WeEmpowerAsia of UN Women and aligned with the Women Empowerment Principles - a set of seven principles guiding businesses to become more gender-responsive across their value chain. The National WEPs Awards Winners will have the opportunity to be selected as Asia-Pacific regional winners and celebrate in the larger Regional Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards on 15 December 2020.
