One of the challenges female students often face, especially those who are married or have children, is the limited time and resources available for attending lectures while also fulfilling their responsibilities as mothers. This often hinders women from pursuing higher education or fully participating in academic activities.

Responding to this challenge, Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) demonstrate a strong commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment through the provision of facilities This facility is a real form of UNS’s support for implementation of SDG 5 (Gender Equality), specifically Childcare Facilities for Students, which emphasizes the importance of access to childcare for students so they can continue to attend lectures in peace and comfort.

The childcare facility is provided free of charge for students, ensuring that access is inclusive and does not create additional financial barriers for recent mothers who wish to attend university courses. This free and accessible childcare service directly supports the implementation of SDG 5 by encouraging universities to have accessible childcare facilities for students that allow recent mothers to continue their studies.

Childcare Center Pondok Asi is managed by Dharma Wanita Persatuan UNS, with the aim of supporting the welfare of the academic community, including female students. This facility provides safe, clean, and child-friendly childcare space for babies and toddlers. In addition, there are lactation rooms that are comfortable and hygienic for breastfeeding mothers, allowing them to continue providing exclusive breastfeeding without having to leave academic activities.

This facility also serves as a form of psychosocial and academic support for female students who are balancing their studies with child-rearing. With the presence of the Childcare Center Pondok Asi on campus, UNS creates an educational ecosystem that is family-friendly, gender-inclusive, and supports the continuity of studies for women, so they don’t have to choose between continuing their education and raising children.

Through this initiative, UNS demonstrates that gender equality is not only realized in policy aspects but also through the provision of concrete facilities that ensure women’s full participation in higher education. The UNS “Dharma Wanita” Childcare Center Pondok Asi is proof that this university is committed to providing a learning environment that is responsive to the needs of female students and supports their dual roles as mothers and learners.

This free childcare service stands as tangible evidence of UNS’s support for SDG 5 by enabling recent mothers to attend university courses comfortably and without financial burden.

Source : 
https://bkppkutim.com/tpa-pondok-asi-dharma-wanita-uns-10447826969897705582/