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Denpasar – The Provincial Board of the Indonesian Employers’ Association (APINDO) Bali held a seminar titled "Recognizing the Potential of Women Leadership and Harmonizing Industrial Relations in the Digital Era" in Denpasar on Tuesday (April 29).

The event featured Keynote Speaker Ny. Putri Koster, Chairwoman of the Bali Provincial National Craft Council (Dekranasda), and Opening Speech from Shinta Kamdani, Chairwoman of the National Board of APINDO, delivered virtually.

The seminar also presented speakers such as Advocate DR (C) AA Kompiang Gede SH MH C.Med CIL, and Owner of Golden Wisata, Ida Ayu Putu Setiawati.

This event was organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Kartini Day. Given that we are in the midst of significant change and workforce dynamics, the seminar emphasized the need for gender equality in the workplace and the call for a more meaningful welfare system for all parties involved.

Women possess extraordinary capacities as motivators and change agents, alongside their ability to grow significantly for sustainability. Balancing productivity and innovation requires active industrial relations.

Chairman of APINDO Bali, I Nengah Nurlaba, stated that women play a strategic role in business, as evidenced by their significant presence in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

“The role of women is clear and evident in the MSME sector, with many women involved,” Nurlaba said. “Even the weavers and ceramic craftsmen are predominantly women. The Secretary of APINDO Bali is also a woman, including one of the district chairpersons.”

During the event, Nurlaba also welcomed Putri Koster’s motivational support to the MSME players in APINDO Bali, especially in assisting with business promotions and completing the required licenses, such as for the Pasemeton Arya Wang Bang Sidemen (PAWBS) cooperative.

Ny. Putri Koster Appreciates Women in the Workforce and Domestic Sphere

Ny. Putri Koster expressed her appreciation for women who are able to pursue careers in the public sphere. However, she also reminded career women, particularly those who are married, not to neglect their responsibilities as homemakers.

“Women have a responsibility as the frontline of the family, to nurture and educate children, ensuring their well-being, both in terms of education and health,” she stated. “In addition to being a mother and career woman, women also have duties as a wife. This multitasking role is a huge responsibility for a woman, and it certainly requires support from her husband as a companion.”

“Let’s not allow the country to lose a golden generation simply because children did not receive attention and affection from their families, especially from a mother, as the smallest fortress of the nation is the family. As a wife, we should not be forced to perform if we are unwilling, but when we have the skills and expertise, we should not be suppressed. Opportunity is a right that everyone should have and develop. Let it emerge and grow naturally,” Putri Koster emphasized.

Fostering Competitive Spirit and Creative Entrepreneurship

The goal of the seminar was to ignite the competitive spirit among young entrepreneurs to create engaging and innovative works while utilizing digital networks for promotion, ultimately boosting product sales and values.

Putri Koster, accompanied by Acting Head of the Bali Provincial Industry and Trade Office, I Made Sudarsana, and several members of Dekranasda Bali, emphasized the importance of women balancing family and career. She highlighted the need for women to manage both spheres effectively.

“From the struggle of R.A. Kartini, we can conclude that fighting cannot be done alone without technique and tactics. It requires the ability to think by expanding knowledge and insights. Women will not be able to be at the forefront unless they equip themselves with intelligence and leadership skills for their families. A family needs one captain and one shield to protect their children. The vibration of love starts from moral conduct, which lays the foundation for character, manners, and ethics,” she added.

For women, the balance lies in managing both family and public careers without neglecting domestic responsibilities.

Equal Responsibility in Nation Building

Putri Koster also stated that it is a shared responsibility between men and women to build the nation. However, she emphasized that women should not be forced into a career if they already have their responsibilities in the domestic sphere.

“Both the one providing opportunities and the one seizing them must equip themselves before taking on available opportunities. Women must continue learning to understand conditions and situations and seize opportunities according to their capacity, integrity, capability, and quality.”

Meanwhile, Shinta Kamdani, Chairwoman of the National APINDO Board, emphasized the importance of digital adoption to advance products and improve market dominance through strategies that aim to boost national competitiveness and foster collaboration between the government, workforce, employers, and all sectors involved.

Source: atnews.id