INTERIM ACTIVITY REPORT

(March – July 2002)

WOMEN AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN INDONESIA: IN SEARCH OF GENDER SENSITIVE LOCAL GOVERNANCE

A. Literature Review/Preliminary Research Findings

The first period of my fellowship focused mainly on analyzing and shaping theoretical ground for the research project. I have written chapters on:

- Reflection on research method

-Women and local government in Indonesia

-Women and the State

- Linking Gender and Governance.

At present, I am writing on From Household to Public: Potentials, Threats and Strategies in Engendering Local Governance: The case of North Sumatra Province. These chapters will be included in my publication on Gender and Local Governance in Indonesia.

I have completed transcribing the data from in-depth interviews and FGDs gathered during the preliminary field research in Indonesia.

B. Presentations and Seminars/Conferences/Workshops

My preliminary research findings have been presented at the Institute of Development Studies seminar, Massey University on May 2002.

As part of the fellowship activities, I have attended the OSI-IPF seminars in Budapest twice (4-15 March 2002 and 4-7 June 2002).

The University of British Columbia’s Institute of Asian Research has invited me to present a paper on Gender, Governance and Social Capital in Indonesia. This seminar/workshop which is titled Globalization and Social Capital Formation in Indonesia, is part of a five-country study on Asia will be held on October 2002.

In extending further networking with individuals/agencies interested in engendering governance, I will participate in Australia National University’s Indonesia Update Conference 2002 on Local Power and Politics which will be held in Canberra, Australia on September 2002. In this conference Indonesian policy makers/government officials and academics involved in implementing and researching decentralization in Indonesia will gather and discuss the performance of Indonesia in implementing decentralization based on Law 22/1999 on Regional Autonomy.

C. Contacts

I have gained invaluable support from both my mentors, Leonora C.Angeles, PhD (Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies and Community Regional Planning, University of British Columbia) and Ir.Budi Sinulingga, MS (Head of North Sumatra Regional Planning Board). Leonora’s critical comments on my papers, have provided theoretical insights and approaches in improving my research project. Budi Sinulingga has been supportive in his enthusiasm to extend the project into training of local government officials and providing insight to the structural and institutional problems facing local government in incorporating gender sensitivity in development policies. Continuous exchange of information with NGOs/CBOs focusing on empowering women in North Sumatra, has enriched my understanding to the complexity of engendering local governance.