goodmorningpapua.com – The Women 20 (W20) meeting in Manokwari, West Papua, 8-9 June 2022 produced a number of recommendations that emphasized advocacy for rural women and women with disabilities concerning with efforts to achieve inclusive economic growth and access to building resilience. The meeting has also identified challenges for rural women and women with disabilities in eliminating unequal access for rural women and women with disabilities to participate in the economy.
The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection of the Republic of Indonesia, I Gusti Bintang Puspayoga said, “Although poverty is never gender neutral, in fact, women is the majority of the world’s poor. Women generally face discrimination, stigmatization, subordination, marginalization, and even violence”.
These problems have resulted in women’s unequal access, participation, control and benefit to resources, leading to underutilization of their potential. Bintang added that currently the participation rate of Indonesian women’s labor force is only 53.34%. Women are also concentrated in the informal sector, which is 63.8%.”
During the W20 meeting, the participants really felt the hospitality and local wisdom in Manokwari and West Papua in general. The welcome from the local community has started from the arrival of the delegates at the Rendani Airport, Manokwari. The guests were greeted with the Injak Piring or Mansorandak ceremony, wherein this tradition was carried out to the guests of honor as an expression of gratitude for having arrived in Papua safely.
Furthermore, at the opening of the meeting, the delegates and participants again received a presentation of the traditional art of Unity Dance by the Melanesian Papuan Dance Studio. The singing of Tanah Papua songs was also entertaining during the banquet, in which traditional Papuan foods were also served.
Afterwards, guests are invited to cross to Mansiman Island, which is off the coast of Manokwari. It is located about 6 Kilometers from Manokwari City. To reach this island only takes 10 to 15 minutes using a motorized boat.
Arriving at this beautiful island, the delegates were greeted with several local traditional ceremonies, such as the tradition of stamping on plates and singing welcome by Papuan children. In addition to visiting several sites on the island, participants will also be invited to release hatchlings (turtle chicks).
The visit to Mansinam Island in Manokwari, West Papua, continues W20 Indonesia’s vision to participate in promoting exotic areas in the country, including those that are Indonesia’s priority tourist destinations. Previously successive meetings were held in Likupang, North Sulawesi, then Batu, East Java and Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.