President Jokowi: Gov’t Provides Social Security and Empowerment Programs

President Jokowi takes picture with representatives of Grass Root Women’s Movement (Perempuan Arus Bawah) at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (6/3). Photo by: Deny S/PR.

The Government provides social security programs to improve social protection and health service for communities and women, according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

“The Government is open to any information regarding those who cannot access the social security,” President Jokowi said during a dialogue with Grass Root Women’s Movement (Perempuan Arus Bawah) at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (6/3).

The President added that the Government provides Aspiring Family Program (PKH) to improve child nutrition, school access, as well as for working capital to start micro business.

“This year the recipients (of the PKH) are 10 million households, a very large number,” President Jokowi said, adding that the Government also provides Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) to ensure education access for 19 million students from lower-income families.

The social and health protection program, according to the President, has reduced poverty rate to 9.8 % and has reduced Gini ratio from 0.41% to 0.38%.

“We hope that the inequality can be reduced further,” the President said.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also explained that the Government also provides several micro-economic programs to improve family welfare and economic condition.

The President said that the program includes Ultra Micro (UMi), which is an ultra-micro loan that has been given to more than one million recipients, and Mekaar (Fostering the Prosperous Family Economy) which has been provided for 4.2 million micro and small business entities, with almost 99% of the participants are women.

President Jokowi further said that he often meet with UMi and Mekaar recipients, including several women who can increase their business using the loan.

For the record, the participants of the event were, among others, Doliana Yakadewa, a woman who provides domestic violence advocacy in Tabi, Jayapura, Papua; Jumiatun, a village cadre concerned with migrant workers in Wuluhan, Jember, East Java; and Eros Rosita, village midwife in the rural area of the Baduy tribe, Banten.

Also present during the event were Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection Yohana Yembise, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko, and Coordinator of Special Staff to the President Teten Masduki. (FID/DNS/ES)

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Edited by: Yuyu Mulyani