ACTIVITY DEFINES GO RED FOR WOMEN IN INDONESIA
As Vice-President of the World Heart Federation from 2006 to 2007, Laksmiati “Mia” Hanafiah gained a deeper appreciation for the Go Red for Women international campaign for women’s heart health.
Aware of the heavy toll that cardiovascular disease was taking on women in her country and serving simultaneously as Vice-President of the Heart Foundation of Indonesia, she decided to push for the creation of a Go Red for Women national campaign for Indonesia.
Under her direction, the Indonesian Go Red for Women campaign was launched in February 2006 with a high profile gala dinner in the capital of Jakarta. The gala was covered on television and by the lifestyle magazine Prestige, which was the Heart Foundation of Indonesia’s media partner for the event.
The pace of the Indonesian campaign has begun to increase dramatically.
Numerous programmes for 2008
An intense round of activity commenced on 22 February 2008 – the second anniversary of the momentous gala dinner – with a luncheon, live television talk show, and question and answer session featuring Indonesia’s new Go Red for Women “ambassador”, the popular film star Susan Bachtiar.
The round will culminate on 22 December 2008 – Mother’s Day in Indonesia – with a special Go Red for Women poetry reading by women leaders from various walks of life, including the fields of business, entertainment, the media and philanthropy.
In between there will be many other activities including:
- Numerous other radio and television talk shows featuring Ms Bachtiar, whose latest film, "Perempuan Punya Cerita", is presently showing in Indonesian cinemas.
- Production of a new colour pamphlet with photographs of Ms Bachtiar.
- A national media campaign in partnership with the Femina Group, publisher of several magazines oriented towards women and seekers of health and fitness.
- In April, participation in a seminar by the Femina Group. The seminar, on the topic of Women in Charge, will explore the life and influence of Kartini, who is revered in Indonesia for inspiring the women’s emancipation movement in the country.
- In August in Jakarta, in conjunction with World Heart Day 2008, a mass walk for heart health. Branches of the Heart Foundation of Indonesia in other Indonesian cities are being encouraged to organize their own walks.
- Also in August, a week-long fashion “parade” at a major shopping mall in Jakarta in cooperation with prominent Indonesian women’s fashion designers and Femina Group. The parade will consist of seminars and workshops about fashion and health, a bazaar and mini fashion shows, as well as displays of innovative red dresses in keeping with the red dress theme of Go Red for Women.
Indonesia’s biggest killer
Cardiovascular disease is Indonesia’s biggest killer. In 2004, it accounted for 23.6% of all deaths, Ms Hanafiah said.
Indonesia lacks accurate and updated data on the numbers of women who die of cardiovascular disease. However, Ms Hanafiah believes that women account for approximately half of the total deaths. Seventy per cent of respondents to a survey by the Femina group said that they did not regard cardiovascular disease as a serious health threat, she said.
“The Heart Foundation of Indonesia got interested in the Go Red for Women campaign because cardiovascular disease is the number one killer disease and yet few people know it, especially women,” she said. “Through Go Red for Women, more and more Indonesian women will learn about the ways to mitigate their risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Ms Hanafiah added, “The World Heart Federation was instrumental in the launch of Go Red for Women in Indonesia. Its informational materials and give-away waist measurement tapes are much appreciated.”
