Indonesia's Gender Inequality Score Decreases Over the Past Six Years

According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Indonesia's Gender Inequality Index (GII) has consistently decreased over six years, from 2018 to 2024.

Indonesia's GII score in 2018 was 0.499. In 2021, it decreased to 0.465, and further decreased to 0.421 in 2024.

"This decrease indicates an improvement in gender equality achievements in Indonesia. The smaller the GII, the lower (better) the inequality between men and women," stated the BPS in its report.

According to the BPS, the 2024 GII shows that Indonesia has lost 42.1% of its human development potential due to gender inequality.

Compared to the previous year, the 2024 GII decreased by 0.026 points. This is the steepest decline during the 2018-2024 period.

The BPS stated that the decrease in the 2024 GII was supported by improvements in its three constituent dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment, and labor market participation.

The BPS study shows that the labor market dimension was the most dominant factor influencing the decrease in the GII in 2024.

Because, compared to 2023, the higher increase in the Female Labor Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) compared to males indicates an improvement in the achievement of equality between men and women in productive economic activities.

In the reproductive health dimension, the BPS stated, improvements are shown by the decreasing number of women giving birth outside of healthcare facilities and the decreasing adolescent fertility rate.

"Meanwhile, the achievement of equality between men and women in the empowerment dimension tends to be decreasing. Women's involvement in parliament is relatively stagnant, while the increase in the percentage of women with at least a high school education is slower than that of men," said the BPS.