Ring the Bell for Gender Equality 2023

The Ring the Bell for Gender Equality program was held for the first time in Indonesia, to commemorate International Women’s Day. Ring the Bell have been carried out by stock exchanges in 82 countries around the world. In Indonesia alone, the activity of ringing bells is organized by the Indonesian Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (IBCWE), Indonesia Global Compact Network (IGCN), and UN Women, and is supported by the Indonesia Stock Exchange and International Finance Corporation (IFC).

The Minister of Finance Republic of Indonesia, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, became the keynote speaker at this event. Sri Mulyani wanted to prove that the world of work does not only belong to men, but also to women. At present the participation of women in the workforce only reaches 55.4%, in contrast to men who reach 83%. In terms of salary, the average woman is given a salary 32% lower than the salary of men. This condition is exacerbated by the still limited work that is intended specifically for women. According to Sri Mulyani, most of the existing work areas are considered not suitable for women. In fact, there are no special jobs for men, so women should still be able to continue their dreams to get a job by having higher education.

Besides Sri Mulyani, another keynote speaker who became UN Global Compact Vice President, Paul Polman, emphasized the importance of women in the world of economy. He supports women’s steps to dare to appear and speak. Women must speak up so that many people understand the importance of gender equality in all aspects, including in the world of work.

The Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event also promoted the application of the Principles Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), which are seven principles that provide practical guidance for business people regarding the empowerment of women in the workplace, place of business, and community. At the global level, more than 1,800 business leaders have committed to implementing WEPs.