Executive Summary
Mahina Mahosi research aims to raise the voice of young women in rural areas in interpreting the participation and social accountability. This research was conducted in 8 provinces in Indonesia partnered with 8 local Non-Government Organization (NGO), they are Pusat Studi Nagari (West Sumatra), RUPARI (Riau), Fahmina Institute (West Java), SPPQT (Central Java), Yayasan Palung (West Borneo), AMAN Kaltim (East Borneo), HUMANUM (Maluku), and Alpen (Southeast Sulawesi). FAMM Indonesia used the intersectionality theory and power analysis to explore the participation dynamics and interpret organizing in the grassroots movements.
This study found that young women are very enthusiastic to involve in various community forums such as Karang Taruna, planning and development meeting (Musrenbang), as well as other forum such as Koran recitation, social gathering, and other small group. However, due to the capacity constraint, young-age-related stereotype, and negative response from the village officers, they are not allowed to actively participate in discussion and decision making. As a result, young women organizing the citizen and their interest in peer group/forum which mainly involving local NGO as a facilitator. The voices of young women in this peer group have not been considered as part of social accountability, therefore its influence has not been significant in the decision making process in the village.
Young women always take a role in the development, either it is the role of reproduction, production, and community. As part of the community, young women are working across issues and participate in voicing the interests of their group, such as advocating the availability of clean water, preventing child marriage, accessing free educational aid, and collecting the data of poor people. For young women, participation and social accountability is a part of observance, trust, empathy and opportunity to do good to fellow human beings. If they are given the opportunity and space to grow, they will become force to support rural development.
Organizing strategies of peer groups (horizontally) is an effort to establish a safe space so that young women can develop the capacity and build collective power. This way, young women have the space for self-actualizing and develop their potential. Community organizing which conducted by young women always derived from their needs and problems faced by the community around them. It is to ensure that people can gain benefits of their organizing work and reduce the dilemmas that may arise.
Assistance from local NGO is very important in facilitating the development of capacity, providing an understanding about the village’s structure, and accompanying the process of aspiration delivered to the village officers. Support from women of previous generation and women in the village government structure also play an important role. However, in the unequal power relation condition, it is young women who have to approach and establish good relationship with village government to support the interests of young women.