The Social Resilience of Women in Coastal Villages of East Java during the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the living conditions of rural women in coastal areas of East Java became increasingly difficult. The aim of this study is to reveal the important roles of women and their social resilience to survive during the pandemic. This research was conducted in poor coastal villages in the province of East Java, namely: 1) Surabaya City with multicultural characteristics; 2) Situbondo Regency with Javanese–Madurese mixed cultural characteristics and 3) Tuban Regency with Javanese cultural characteristics. The subjects of this study were married women who have children. Data collection was conducted for 2 months (June-July 2021) using a structured interview technique (questionnaire) with 185 respondents and an in-depth interview technique with 18 informants, including women and local leaders. The results of this study indicate the “coping” and “adaptive” capacities of women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although women’s work in these coastal villages was categorized as unskilled work generating little income, women were still working to overcome the direct threat of the pandemic through available resources such as skills, time, family, and neighborhood ties. However, this study shows only a few capacities of the “transformative” type, whereby women have access to assets and assistance from wider social and political networks. This study shows a strong patriarchal culture influencing the lives of poor coastal rural women, but also reveals that the role of women was very important in maintaining family health and meeting income shortages for family needs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Bisnis Alternatif Perempuan di Era Informasi

In order to support its roles in the domestic and public sectors, many women have the ability in using information communication technology. In the other hand, women are still exposed to gender imbalances. The position of women is not only different, but also lose or less unequal than men. This approach used descriptive qualitative to describe alternative business that gotten by women to get justice through online business. The development of information technology brings a new atmosphere, where previously the women work offline to online. Business is developed by women such as making cakes with known brands as Kampung Roti, clothing, marketing of Lapis Surabaya cake, and knitting. Starting an online business is not easier for women, struggling to master technology is not easily where women have to be familiar with software and hardware. They should also search the network to find customers and highlight their own business. Women should organize their online businesses with a technique, having the financial capital, searching the models, materials, mastering selling buying online systems, moreover also finding out what opportunities are available. Through information technology, women who work online can get equal position with men

EKSISTENSI DIRI DAN PERAN PEREMPUAN PADA ERA INFORMASI (Studi dengan Perspektif Feminis pada Komunitas Bisnis Online Perempuan di Surabaya)

Studi ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui jawaban dari beberapa pertanyaan tentang eksistensi dan peran perempuan di era masyarakat informasi. Pertanyaan-pertanyaan tersebut, antara lain : (1) Bagaimana perempuan mengalami perbedaan peran dengan laki-laki dan mengalami ke”liyan”an yaitu makna oleh perempuan terhadap label yang diberikan oleh orang lain terhadap dirinya?, (2) Bagaimana peran teknologi informasi dalam menghilangkan ke”liyan”an perempuan di sektor domestik?, dan (3) Bagaimana peran teknologi informasi dapat membantu perempuan bekerja, berintelektual, dan bertransformasi sosial untuk memperoleh ke”diri”annya yaitu makna oleh perempuan terhadap label yang diperjuangkan oleh dirinya?. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan pendekatan kualitatif dan menggunakan perspektif feminis eksistensialis. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara bersama informan yang merupakan anggota komunitas WOSCA di Surabaya. Penentuan informan dalam penelitian ini ditentukan melalui informan kunci, yakni ialah ketua WOSCA. Selanjutnya, peneliti melakukan diskusi bersama dengan ketua WOSCA dengan memperhatikan beberapa kriteria yang telah ditentukan oleh penulis maka, diperoleh 12 member yang dapat dijadikan sebagai informan pada penelitian ini. Hasil studi menunjukkan bahwa perempuan dibedakan secara seksual berdasarkan pengalaman dan situasinya terhadap laki-laki dimana perempuan mengalami beberapa fase perubahan dalam hidupnya. Perempuan di-stereotype oleh masyarakat untuk menjadi istri, ibu, dan dilabeli sebagai ibu rumah tangga. Perempuan tersubordinasi dalam masyarakat sehingga perempuan membenarkan apa yang dianggap benar oleh masyarakat. Perempuan tidak memiliki waktu dan ruang, bahkan perempuan tidak memiliki kuasa atas dirinya sendiri. Perbedaan peran antara laki-laki dan perempuan mengakibatkan perempuan mengalami ke”liyan”an yaitu makna oleh perempuan terhadap label istri, ibu, dan ibu rumah tangga. Perempuan melakukan upaya untuk mendapatkan eksistensi dirinya dengan bekerja, berintelektual dan mencapai transformasi sosialis masyarakat. Untuk memperoleh ke”diri”annya perempuan memerlukan media, yaitu dengan mengoptimalkan penggunaan teknologi informasi. Penggunaan teknologi informasi dapat membantu perempuan mengatasi persoalan perbedaan peran dengan laki-laki. Dengan menggunakan teknologi informasi, perempuan dapat bekerja secara online sehingga dapat memperoleh penghasilan tanpa meninggalkan tugas-tugasnya sebagai ibu dan istri serta ibu rumah tangga. Penggunaan teknologi informasi dalam menjalankan bisnis online membuat perempuan mulai menemukan kembali ke“diri”annya. Perempuan menjadi “Diri” yaitu makna oleh perempuan terhadap label perempuan pengusaha online yang diperjuangkan oleh dirinya

Developing Reading Access: Study of the Liberal Feminist Movement of Aisyiyah in East Java

The awakening of women has been felt through movements and forms of struggle for hundreds of years, and this awakening has given birth to many influential women in the world. In Indonesia, many women's movements face various dynamic and persistent struggles to acquire an education. One association addressing these struggles is Aisyiyah, headquartered in East Java. Aisyiyah is a grassroots organization that aims to lessen the inequality experienced by women, especially in the areas of education and literacy. This study used a qualitative research method with a descriptive approach to focus on how Aisyiyah women navigate their educational journeys to build and provide access to reading for women in East Java so that Aisyiyah women are fortified to participate in modern life. The location of this research was in East Java, Indonesia, namely the areas of Sidoarjo Regency, Malang City, and Banyuwangi Regency, with a total of 30 respondents consisting of Aisyiyah leaders and members. The results represent the collaborative efforts of Aisyiyah and the larger Indonesian community in increasing public awareness of the importance of women’s education and literacy