UGM has once again organised Disaster Research, Community Empowerment, and Microeconomics (DREaM) summer program.
Running from 17-30 July 2019, DREaM 2019 carries theme Community Improvement through Women Empowerment and presents women activists, Lily Puspasari and Yenny Wahid.
“Gender equality in Indonesia has improved much in the past two years, however, there are still areas to be improved here,” said Yenny, Director of Wahid Foundation.
She said that women were still left behind men in terms of access to occupation and business opportunities.
Another issue is that many women were exposed to radicalism and even active in radical groups. Thus, she emphasised the importance to empower the women as agents of peace.
“It is a great potential to make women as agents of peace, one that makes change in our society,” she said.
Program Management Specialist in UN Women Indonesia, Lily Puspasari, said discrimination against women was still rampant in many areas such as law and politics, social norms and treatment, and gender based stereotypes.
“We need more transformers to lead change into a more inclusive society and gender equal,” she said.
DREaM 2019 brings together participants, educators, policy makers, activists, researchers, and society. Participants were expected to share knowledge and experience in women empowerment in various aspects of life.
DREaM is aimed for international students that want to learn more about Indonesia. In DREaM they can discuss strategic issues. They also have the opportunity to learn in class, community service, apprenticeship and excursions for two weeks.