STF UIN Jakarta Launches Book on Muslim Women Economic Empowerment

FEB, UIN News Online – Social Trust Fund (STF) UIN Jakarta launched a book entitled 'Enablers for Muslim Women Economic Empowerment' at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) UIN Jakarta, Monday (09/05/2022). This book, published by Palgrave Macmillan (2022), tells of the economic role of Indonesian women in rural areas.

The book launch was attended and officially opened by the Rector of UIN Jakarta Amany Lubis. Also present in the event, Indonesian Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Bintang Puspayoga.

The book launch which was held in conjunction with a seminar on women's economic empowerment invited  three speakers, Azyumardi Azra CBE, Euis Amalia, and Asep Saepudin Jahar. They presented their views on the dual role of women based on their respective scientific perspectives.

This book was written by a number of researchers involved. Among them are the Director of STF UIN Jakarta Amelia Fauzia, Researcher from UNSW Canberra Australia Minako Sakai and Felix Tan.

In her presentation, Amelia Fauzia revealed that this book departed from the results of the authors' research in empowering women in West Java, South Sulawesi, and West Nusa Tenggara in the period of 2018-2021. 110 respondents played an active role in research activities through observation, interviews, piloting projects, training, and mentoring.

The book itself, answers three research questions, namely how the potential for tolerance among women entrepreneurs of SMEs can be developed? How are negotiations to balance household and business obligations? And, how will digital capabilities impact business and other social impacts?

The results of the research itself noted a number of important findings. Regarding the potential for tolerance, for example, said Amelia, women who are involved in economic activities have great potential in building tolerance. “We see the hidden potential of women in this context,” she said.

Through their economic activities, women can build self-confidence and encourage tolerance. This can be seen when they carry out their economic activities based on Islamic economic ethics in their economic activities.

“Islamic ethics further encourages women to believe in the importance of the process rather than the result,” said Amelia.

On the same occasion, Indonesian Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Bintang Puspayoga who was present virtually expressed her appreciation for the action research and publication of the book. “Thank you STF UIN Jakarta for carrying out women's empowerment actions, including collaborative research with UNSW Australia,” she said.

She said that research on empowerment actions for women's groups as family economic actors was important and in line with the efforts made by the government in accelerating the economic revival of the community. “The goal of the Indonesian government is how we recover and rise faster,” said Bintang.

The government, she continued, highly appreciates the research carried out with a strict methodological framework . “This book will be used as a reference by the government in formulating a public policy,” she said.

The state, she continued, is very committed to promoting equality of men and women. This is done by encouraging equal participation in contributing to each other's roles.

Among the priorities for women's empowerment is the empowerment of women in entrepreneurship with a gender perspective. The majority of Indonesian women themselves are the spearhead of the nation's entrepreneurship where 64% of MSME owners and managers are filled by women. (zm/usa)