US Media Called Khofifah Indar Parawansa Influential Female Woman

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - The mass media from the United States Bloomberg called Khofifah Indar Parawansa as one of the influential figures in the Government of President Joko Widodo-Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

In a written statement received in Jakarta on Saturday, Khofifah is also regarded as a symbol of women's success in the national political scene.

The compliment was presented by Bloomberg in an article released last July entitled "World's Biggest Muslim Country Puts More Women into Senior Roles".

Khofifah who now serves as Minister of Social Affairs in the Cabinet of Work considered playing an important role in efforts to alleviate poverty and increase social welfare in Indonesia.

"Parawansa is one example of the Minister of Women in the largest Muslim country in the world. This is an example of a country's success in breaking the streotypes of gender and religion," said the article written Rieka Rahadiana reporter, Molly Dai, and Karl Lester M Yap.

Bloomberg also tells a little of Khofifah's journey that is considered quite risky. When Suharto was in power, the 32-year-old Khofifah read a highly controversial speech before parliament that shocked many.

Khofifah made a sharp criticism of the New Order government and his views on democratization before the hearing. Khofifah's courage made his career in politics increasingly skyrocketed.

"The speech is quite controversial so that her husband is concerned about his safety," wrote Bloomberg as quoted by Antara.

According to Khofifah, as quoted from Bloomberg, the opportunity for women in all areas or lines of life should not be awaited but pursued. Given current Women and Men now have relatively equal ability and opportunity.

Besides Khofifah, other women who occupy strategic positions in Jokowi-JK government are Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Minister of Marine and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti.

Bloomberg released data from the Inter-Parliamantary Union, which Indonesia is the highest country ratio of women who served as ministers from 10 countries that have a large population.

Indonesia scored a 26 percent ratio, beating India (18 percent) and Japan (16 percent) and the world's largest populated country, China (eight percent).