Strengthening Partnerships for Gender Equality: Telkom University’s Collaborative Efforts to Advance SDG 5

Through the SDGs Report 2024, Telkom University reaffirms its strong commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment by publishing detailed progress on SDG 5 – Gender Equality. This initiative also exemplifies SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, as the university collaborates with various stakeholders to foster gender-sensitive education, inclusive economic participation, and gender-based violence prevention.

One of the key highlights featured in the report is a community service project (PKM) dedicated to addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through digital literacy and online education. The program, jointly led by Telkom University’s faculty and students, launched an online anti-GBV campaign designed to raise awareness and encourage behavioral change. To understand the core issues, surveys were distributed to teachers to identify the most common GBV cases among students, such as sexting, cyberstalking, and exposure to harmful online content. Drawing from these findings, the team collaborated across departments to design educational messages and develop a campaign mascot symbolizing the importance of parental involvement in guiding responsible youth behavior.

In 2024, Telkom University also produced eight research publications focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment, published in reputable journals and international conferences. These studies explore themes such as women’s entrepreneurship, communication for empowerment, gender ethics in business, and sexual violence prevention. Notable examples include Operating a Business with Local Wisdom: A Grounded Research of Women in the Creative Industry (Cogent Business & Management) and Communication Strategy Evaluation of the Empowerment Program for Women Ex-Migrant Workers in Indonesia (Journal of International Women’s Studies).

Another impactful collaboration is the Pangalengan MSME Village Program, a partnership between PT Telkom Indonesia and Telkom University aimed at empowering rural women entrepreneurs. Through workshops on digital marketing, branding, packaging, and e-commerce, local women-led businesses enhanced their visibility and market competitiveness. The program generated significant outcomes, with a Social Return on Investment (SROI) showing 1.8 rupiah in economic value for every rupiah invested in the first year, projected to reach 7.06 rupiah within three years.

Additionally, through platforms like the Digital Collaboration for Sustainability (DCS) and the SDGs Center, Telkom University actively engages in cross-sectoral dialogues that bring together academia, government, industry, and civil society to integrate gender perspectives into research, innovation, and community development.

By embedding the Publication of SDG Reports – per SDG framework, Telkom University ensures transparency and accountability in its sustainability journey. These collective efforts reflect the university’s strong dedication to building inclusive partnerships (SDG 17) that advance gender equality (SDG 5) and create a more equitable academic and social ecosystem.