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Wamendag Roro Encourages The Involvement Of Indonesian Women MSME Players In The Australian Market
Friday, 08 Nov 2024
Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri is encouraging the involvement of women in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the global market, especially in Australia. According to Roro, women MSME entrepreneurs can lead in innovation, resilience, and trade advancement. This potential can be realized if barriers preventing women from participating in international trade are addressed, such as providing access to enhance their knowledge about partner country markets.
Roro made these remarks during her keynote speech at the “Women-Led SMEs Dialogue Forum on Trade: Go Big, Go Global” event held yesterday, Tuesday (November 5) at The Sultan Hotel in Jakarta.
“We also hope that women MSME entrepreneurs will share their policy suggestions in this forum. This is to support greater involvement of women MSMEs in international trade, particularly between Indonesia and Australia. Women MSME entrepreneurs can be pioneers in innovation, resilience, and trade progress. To achieve this, we must quickly address the obstacles to women's participation,” Roro stated.
Roro explained that this dialogue forum is also designed to explore the interests and potential of women MSMEs in exporting, including efforts to mitigate risks related to export challenges. The forum aims to open discussions about the challenges women face in their export journeys, practical sessions on trade financing, and insights into the Australian market.
During the event, Roro mentioned that women MSME entrepreneurs can utilize the consultation offices of the Ministry of Trade in their regions to gain market information and develop export products. These consultation offices include the Export Centers in Surabaya and Makassar, as well as the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Centers located in Bandung, Semarang, and Jakarta.
exports. One way is through the Export Center and FTA Center located in the regions. Here, women entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can access information about export opportunities in international markets through a one-stop service, said Deputy Minister Roro.
Deputy Minister Roro explained that the strong relationship between Indonesia and Australia is further strengthened by the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). According to an analysis by Katalis in 2022, this trade agreement will benefit women in SMEs by increasing their participation in trade.
"The benefits of the Indonesia-Australia CEPA for women will be more evident in the service and agribusiness sectors for Indonesia. Currently, Indonesia has high potential for adding value in the supply chain," Roro stated.
Data from the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) shows that the role of women in SMEs is significant. In 2023, 64.5 percent of the total 66 million SME players are women, meaning there are about 37 million women entrepreneurs in Indonesia.
Furthermore, Roro mentioned that in line with President Prabowo Subianto's policy, one of the strategies to achieve a Golden Indonesia by 2045 is to focus on economic development that prioritizes the welfare of the people. Empowering all segments of society, especially women in SMEs, is crucial for this goal.
Roro added that the Ministry of Trade also participates in trade exhibitions both domestically and internationally, as well as trade missions. This is part of the Ministry's efforts to promote Indonesian SME products, including those from women entrepreneurs.
