2024 Theses Master's

Women-led Participatory Planning in Indonesia: Actions with Impact from Lombok Island

Utami, Catharina

This study explores the effectiveness of gender mainstreaming in urban planning and budgetary decisions in East Lombok and North Lombok Regency, Indonesia. It focuses on the role of local customs and governance structures in gender-inclusive planning and how Lombok women are working towards creating a “non-sexist city.” The research design incorporates key stakeholder interviews and focus group discussions.

Central to the study is examining participatory planning in Indonesia, considering the national budget development and planning processes, including technocratic, political, and participatory aspects. The study identifies key indicators for effective gender-inclusive participatory planning and local approaches for improving planning practices. A primary element of the research is the examination of women-led non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their role in gender-inclusive participatory planning. The Women’s School Program in Lombok Island is analyzed, focusing on its curriculum, the role of women facilitators, and the empowerment pathway it creates for women in planning.

To understand the topic better, this study explores challenges and barriers to participatory planning on Lombok Island, employing an intersectional framework to understand these complexities. It highlights the community actions led by women’s groups, emphasizing a data-driven approach to equitable planning. There are four main arguments proposed in this thesis: one is that robust adaptation of gender considerations in planning and budgetary decisions in Indonesia could only be possible when the concept is applied in regional units; second is that the diversity in local customs and regional governance system in Indonesia requires a geographic-based approach in applying gender-inclusive planning; third is that data-driven approach in planning could benefit not only from quantitative data but also qualitative data to create a comprehensive nuance in the output; and last is that making planning knowledge accessible is the foundation for just development.