Decentralization As a Narrative of Opportunity for Women in Indonesia Decentralization As a Narrative of Opportunity for Women in Indonesia

Decentralization as a Narrative of Opportunity for Women in Indonesia Decentralization as a Narrative of Opportunity for Women in Indonesia Edriana Noerdin Sita Aripurnami Yanti Muchtar Women Research Institute 2007 Decentralization as a Narrative of Opportunity for Women in Indonesia ISBN: 978-979-99305-6-9 Copyright © 2007 by Women Research Institute Writers Edriana Noerdin Sita Aripurnami Yanti Muchtar Researcher - Making Decentralization Meaningful for Women Erni Agustini, Diana Teresa Pakasi, Lisabona Rahman and Siti Nurwati Hodijah - Promoting Gender Budget in the Decentralization Era Amorisa Wiratri, Aris Arif Mundayat, Erni Agustini, Diana Teresa Pakasi, Margaret Aliyatul Maimunah and Siti Nurwati Hodijah Editor - Making Decentralization Meaningful for Women Liza Hadiz Photo Cover Painting by Amrus N., 1999 (private collection) Design Cover & Layout Sekar Pireno KS First Edition, 2007 Published by Women Research Institute Jl. Kalibata Utara II No. 34A, RT. 016/RW. 02, Jakarta 12740 - INDONESIA Tel. (62-21) 798.7345 & 794.0727 Fax. (62-21) 798.7345 Email: [email protected] Website: www.wri.or.id Content Acknowledgements vii Introduction 1 The Two Faces of Decentralization: Marginalizing but Providing Space for Women in Local Politics I. Making Decentralization Meaningful for Women 15 Edriana Noerdin and Sita Aripurnami II. Promoting Gender Budget in the Decentralization Era 63 Edriana Noerdin and Sita Aripurnami III. Do Women Have Access to NGOs’ Programs in Local 113 Governance? Edriana Noerdin and Sita Aripurnami IV. Regional Autonomy and its Impact to the Exclusion 135 of Women in the Decision Making Process Edriana Noerdin and Yanti Muchtar V. Women in the Decentralized Aceh 173 Edriana Noerdin About the Authors 219 VI Acknowledgements omen Research Institute (WRI), since its established in 2002 had Wconducts various studies in the fields of politics and social as well as cultural issues by using gender analysis in Indonesia. WRI undertakes studies in the context of re-arranging the concept of governance so that it becomes more sensitive to gender relations that are still unequal, individually as well as in the family and community setting. WRI also finds the importance of the representation of the voice and interests of women in the structure, culture and policies issued as a political, social and cultural product. Yet, this valuable information on current situation of gender relation in Indonesia is still limited to find, especially information written in English language. It is for this reason, WRI publish a book entitle “Decentralization as a Narrative of Opportunity for Women in Indonesia”. The publication of this book would be impossible without the support from number of people VII and institutions. Some, however, deserve special mention. WRI is very indebted to the Ford Foundation, in particular Dr. Meiwita Budiharsana. Many thanks for providing WRI, in this respect for Edriana Noerdin and Sita Aripurnami, with the luxurious of ‘sabbatical leaves’ for one month to write these articles at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Thanks also due to Professor Gavin Jones of NUS, for the intensive discussions during our writing process in Singapore. Thanks are also due for Dr. Alexander Irwan of the Ford Foundation for his valuable inputs to this book. We also like to thank Yanti Muchtar for her compliance to share her ideas with WRI on the impact of regional autonomy for women in Indonesia. Her thought is clearly written in collaboration with Edriana Noerdin as one of the article in this book. Finally, WRI is grateful for all of the support from friends at WRI. Our collaborative work has given us the deep understanding of gender relation in the current situation of Indonesia. It is hope that the narrative of opportunity for women in Indonesia may also contribute to the reader understanding of the situation of new Indonesia. Jakarta, medio of July 2007 Women Research Institute VIII The Two Faces of Decentralization:... 1 The Two Faces of Decentralization: Marginalizing but Providing Space for Women in Local Politics Women Research Institute Introduction n 2005, Women Research Institute (WRI) conducted a research on I“the Impact of Regional Autonomy on Women Political Participation in Decision Making at the Local Level”. The research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, WRI analyzed local regulations in nine districts/cities by using feminist research methodology. It was an initial step to see how women’s public space and political roles are being perceived, represented and regulated within the context of regional autonomy. The nine districts/cities were spread in seven provinces, namely West Java (Sukabumi and Tasikmalaya), West Sumatra (Solok), West Nusa Tenggara (Mataram), Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (Banda Aceh), Bali (Gianyar), East Nusa Tenggara (Kupang), and East Kalimantan (Samarinda, West Kutai). The diverse character of the selected districts/ cities allows WRI to look at the general trend of women participation in regional autonomy across the multicultural landscape of the contemporary 2 Decentralization as a Narrative of Opportunity for Women in Indonesia Indonesian society. In the second phase, WRI evaluated the impact of local regulations on the society through in-depth interviews in five out the nine districts/ cities, namely Solok, Mataram, Banda Aceh, Gianyar and Kupang. Due to lack of qualified and committed researchers, WRI was forced to drop Sukabumi, Tasikmalaya, Samarinda and West Kutai. WRI then, based on similar criteria applied in the first research phase, selected the district of Kebumen (Central Java), the city of Manado (North Sulawesi), and the city of Pontianak (West Kalimantan) as replacement. The results of the first and second phase of WRI’s research reveal the two faces of decentralization concerning the plight of women in local governance. Finding of the First Phase WRI’s selection of the nine districts/cities is based on three considerations. First, the selected districts/cities should include locations in Java and non-Java to capture uneven economic development and social and cultural differences across regions. Second, the selected districts/cities should include both regions that are revitalising Islamic values such as West Java (Sukabumi and Tasikmalaya), West Sumatra (Solok), West Nusa Tenggara (Mataram) and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, and non-Muslim regions such as Bali (Gianyar) and East Nusa Tenggara (Kupang). Third, conflict regions such as Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (Banda Aceh) and Kalimantan (Samarinda and West Kutai) should also be represented in the selected districts/cities. The goal of the textual reading of local regulations was twofold in character. First, WRI wanted to reveal how the regional governments regulated women’s involvement in local decision making. Second, WRI would like to investigate how women were represented in local regulations. Findings of the first phase research represents one face of decentralization that marginalizes women. The Two Faces of Decentralization:... 3 No Laws Stipulating Women Participation in Local Decision Making Although regions such as Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) and Gianyar have acknowledged the problem of gender inequality and discrimination, and responded with a formulation of policies to act upon, no specific laws have been made to stipulate women’s participation in local decision making. The percentage of women in legislative body in the nine districts/ cities ranges from 0 – 12 percent, a far cry from the 30 percent requirement set by the Election Law 1999. Due to the non-existence of laws that stipulate women participation in local politics, certain interpretation of Islam could easily be used to limit women’s access to participate in local decision making. Although the text of regional regulation (Perda) is gender-neutral, the cultural context of its application could be used to hinder women’s participation. In Tasikmalaya for example, five women were appointed to become heads of sub-district (Camat). But some members of the Local House of Representative (DPRD) challenged the appointments by arguing that Islam prefered male to female leaders, prompting women activists and women politicians in the DPRD to counter the objection. The case illustrates that gender-neutral regulations open opportunity for gender-based discrimination action, and that an explicit regulation stipulating women’s participation in local decision making is a must. Local Regulations Marginalize Women New local policies concerning women that are issued under regional autonomy have focused on providing training, supporting equipments, for women to conduct household activities such as cooking, sewing, and other domestic activities. Crucial issues in motherhood and household such as reproductive health and domestic violence are left untouched. Women do not receive support to take part in public activities to pursue 4 Decentralization as a Narrative of Opportunity for Women in Indonesia their interests either. For example, although women have been active in local economy, the present local regulations fail to acknowledge their activity and provide proper access to capital, market, and skill. a. Denying the Role of Women in Public Space Women’s roles in public sphere are not being acknowledged in local regulations. The exclusion of women from decision making in the exploration of natural resources in West Kutai has resulted in the loss of women’s sources of income. In Gianyar, spouse of a woman employee is not entitled to receive benefits

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