Lusia Willar

Indonesian Catholic Woman’s Organisation (ICWO)

In Indonesia, the safety and quality of various products are of paramount importance and to ensure this, the country has a regulatory body known as Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan Indonesia (BPOM Indonesia) or The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (IFDA). IFDA plays a crucial role in safeguarding public health and regulating the production, distribution, and use of food, drugs, and other consumer products.

One of the roles of IFDA is Public Awareness and Education. The agency is committed to educating the public about the importance of using registered and regulated products; thus, has encouraged mass organisation like us to participate. It disseminates information on product safety, potential risks, and the importance of reading labels and follow instructions.

There are more than 300 participants of various organisations and year 2024 is the first time Wanita Katolik RI or Indonesian Catholic Woman’s Organisation (ICWO) participated in. We have sent our members to actively participate and becoming National Facilitators as well as Regional Facilitators. It has been many webinars, training, pre-test and post-test; microteaching where participants carry out training in delivering material as well as techniques for writing and designing content on social media.

The objective of this program is to build superior human resources related to Medicine and Food by developing partnerships with all components of the nation in order to improve quality of Indonesian people. We continuously empower our members as a form of partnership in carrying out drug and food supervision. This activity is also to prevent people from using or consuming unsafe food by increasing knowledge and understanding about food safety.

There are 5 keys to food safety:

1. Recognize safe food
2. Buy safe food
3. Read labels carefully
4. Maintain cleanliness
5. Record or report what is found

The facilitators who take part in this technical guidance will bring positive changes in people’s mindset and behaviour in regards to food safety and nutrition. This is very important because mindset and behaviour changes will determine the success of efforts to prevent food-borne illnesses and accelerate the reduction of stunting, which is currently the focus of Indonesia government. National Facilitators have to be able to transfer knowledge to the community and develop more regional facilitators.

Presently we have total 40 facilitators both National and Regional in 6 provinces. Each of them is currently developing 5 facilitators, and we believe it will reach more than 100 facilitators within 2024. We will continue expanding the program to reach more people and region.

We also encourage the development and sustainability of education, organising women’s business groups to provide assistance and strengthen the business skills of medium - small enterprise in indigenous women’s communities in each area/regional. We play an active role in empowering and increasing knowledge of our community voluntarily. That way, all levels of society understand the importance of maintaining food safely for a healthier life through preventing foodborne diseases.

The Brief of Indonesian Catholic Woman’s Organisation (ICWO)

Indonesian Catholic Woman’s Organisation (ICWO) is an organisation that is independent, socially active, has moral strength and reliable capabilities in carrying out work of service to realize mutual prosperity and uphold human dignity. Our mission is to develop quality of internal organisation, collecting aspirations that are executed in maintaining the works and sustain, advocating gender equality and justice in all aspects while striving for sustainable living environment.

ICWO will celebrate its 100 years anniversary on June 26, 2024. We will collaborate and working closely with church and government to reach our mission. We strive and cultivating young members to become woman leaders in the community – the agent of change!

With almost 100.000 members, we will be always presence in Indonesia.