The Fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia, who is also the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Megawati Soekarnoputri, stated that women's empowerment is a determining factor in the quality of the state and government.
According to Megawati, a country that excludes women from decision-making spaces risks losing its social, moral, and civilizational balance.
"Women's empowerment is not a threat to values, culture, or traditions. On the contrary, it is a prerequisite for a nation that believes in its own future," Megawati.
Megawati made the statement in a scientific speech when receiving an Honorary Doctorate from Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Saudi Arabia, Monday.
This award is very special because Megawati is recorded as the first figure outside of Saudi Arabia to receive an honorary degree from the world's largest women's university.
Megawati conveyed that the state should not be understood merely as an administrative structure or political power, but rather as a living civilization based on values, history, and moral responsibility.
Within this framework, women's involvement is not an additional issue, but rather an essential part of equitable and sustainable national development.
"A great nation is one that is able to harness the full potential of its humanity. A strong nation is one that does not allow half of its social power to be sidelined by history," Megawati said in her speech.
As the fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia and the first female president in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, Megawati emphasized that her experience in government shows that women's involvement has a direct impact on the quality of public policy.
