FIA IPB University Holds a National Seminar on Empowering Women in the Millennial Era

The start-up community ‘Female in Action’ IPB University held a national seminar ‘Voice of the Women Nationalist’ (VOWN) at Graha Widya Wisuda Building, Dramaga Campus, Bogor (24/11). This seminar raised the theme “Strategy for Empowering Women in the Millennial Era towards SDGs 2030”. This event presented Lusi Margiyani, Early Childhood Care and Development Advisor and Gender Local Point at Save The Children Indonesia, Dr. Ir Herien Puspitawati, MSc as an Indonesian Gender Expert and Academic of the Faculty of Human Ecology (Fema) IPB University, Alya Nurshabrina, Miss Indonesia 2018 and Fedi Nuril as a public figure.

Besides discussing women’s empowerment and gender equality, this seminar also discussed efforts to counter the issue of radicalism that led to national feminism.

The event was also attended by Yane Ardian Bima Arya, Mayor of Bogor’s wife. As the Founder of the Mother School, Yane said that women should have a strategic role in development. The role of women is to build a civilization from the family. Gender equality is how rights are treated equally. But women also must not forget the rights of men.

“Women cannot stand alone because they need a supporting system from family, friends and the environment. The purpose of this event is not only to speak from the theoretical aspects of women’s empowerment, but from various perspectives to support women. Women are closely related to family, economy and business. Now there is still minimal awareness in empowering women,” said Founder of Female in Action, Zulfa Fauziah, a student of the Faculty of Economics and Management of IPB University.

On this occasion, Dr. Ir Herien explained that the best career of modern women is what is done according to their passion and conscious will.

“The other female extreme views are related to the ‘supermom’ image. Namely spending time between the household and a balanced career. What can be combined regarding traditional concepts and modern concepts for women’s groups are spiritual, emotional, physical, social creative and cognitive potential. The presence of the father’s community made children aware that the child is the responsibility of both parents. The patriarchal system needs to be renovated to change the mindset of the people. Empowering women is ready to take on the task of collaboration between men and women, “he explained.

Meanwhile, Lusi explained that women and men showed the same opportunities in completing education. One issue of women in education and readiness in the world of work in the millennial era is the low interest of women in entering the STEM field.

“Backward women can risk marginalization or backwardness of women. The strategy to overcome these issues is education and care for gender equality from an early age, eliminating gender biases related to education and the world of work and the existence of policies and support systems to support women in the STEM field,” he explained. (NR)

Keyword: Empowering women, IPB University, IPB University Students