Policy Research
Greater female labor market participation benefits not only women's empowerment and the well-being of their families, but also the economy as a whole. Yet the labor force participation of women in developing countries is relatively stagnant, even with higher levels of economic development and better educational attainment. Women are also more likely to work in the informal sector and unskilled jobs.
This paper presents an investigation of the causal impact of COVID-19, through lockdowns, on household income, income expectations, consumption of durable goods, and budget allocation in Indonesia using high-frequency data from the monthly Bank Indonesia consumer survey with more than 176,000 respondents.
Digitalization has contributed substantially to the global economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Indonesia’s case, digitalization even sustained the country’s economy during the pandemic. It is only appropriate that the government continue accelerating its digital transformation in postpandemic recovery.
- City-level ecosystems are best positioned to foster tech startups, especially early- stage ventures. Ecosystems should play an active role in startup enablement, talent development, and urban place-making.
- The Direct Cash Transfer-Village Fund (BLT-DD) program implemented by villages indicates the villages’ ability to manage social assistance programs transparently and accountably.
- The key is village deliberation meeting as the highest-ranked decision-making forum which is held openly and participatorily.
