Women’s Knowledge and the Role of Local Female Leaders in Ending the Practice of the Early Marriage of Girls in Rural Communities of Indonesia

The practice of the early marriage of girls (under 16 years old) in the rural communities of Indonesia has remained to this day. This article aims to examine how the role of female leaders and local women’s organisations in rural communities and how they seek to eliminate the practice of child marriage. This article is based on a study conducted in 2 (two) poor villages on Madura Island, East Java Province, namely Sampang District and Bangkalan District. The subjects of this study were women who married at a young age, their husbands, parents, members of the women’s organisations and the leaders of the women’s organisations. The data collection techniques applied in this study included the in-depth interview technique with 20 informants and questionnaires with 200 respondents who had been purposively selected. This study shows that the knowledge of women on the issue of child early marriage reflects a lack of gender awareness. However, this study identified the important role of local female leaders in eliminating the practice of child marriage. Through empowerment activities and programs, female local leaders have been raising the knowledge and consciousness of women on the issue of early marriage. The role of local female leaders was also important in trying to raise the consciousness of local male leaders about the risks of child marriage practices for the young wives and their children and the importance of ending the practice of child marriage

Violence against Women and Girls in Harare, Zimbabwe

This article explores the phenomenon of violence against women and girls in Harare, Zimbabwe. Section 25 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe stipulates that the State and all agencies of the government at every level must protect and foster the institutions to adopt measures for the prevention of violence. Regardless of such recognition, there have been rampant incidences of politically motivated and domestic violence against women and girls in the country. Domestic violence against women and girls is a violation of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and all of the treaties, conventions, charters and optional protocols on the rights of women. Owing to the prolonged violation of the human rights of both sexes in Zimbabwe, this paper shows that women are more vulnerable to violence. A number of factors predispose women and girls to violence as men are the sole perpetrators of violence against women in Zimbabwe. In this context, policymakers, scholars, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), women’s organisations, development practitioners, and all responsible bodies regarding women’s issues should further direct their attention towards the alleviation and eradication of violence against women and girls in an inclusive and sustainable pattern of development within the Zimbabwean and wider African context. This paper is based on a qualitative study which further explains violence against women and girls from the Althusser Repressive State Apparatus perspective, thus providing transformational solutions to the turmoil at hand. The results of the study show that despite the enactment of laws at the national and international level, women and girls are affected more by the violence in Harare, Zimbabwe

WANITA DI SEKTOR PASAR TRADISIONAL

Penelitian ini membahas tentang : WANITA DI SEKTOR PASAR TRADISIONA

Praktik Pernikahan Dini Anak Perempuan Dalam Komunitas Miskin Di Provinsi Jawa Timur (Studi Perspektif Gender Untuk Model Perlindungan Anak)

Studi di tahun pertama menunjukkan temuan bahwa praktek pernikahan dini pada anak perempuan sangat berkaitan dengan realitas kemiskinan dan peminggiran peran perempuan dalam kehidupan keluarga dan peran publik. Studi ini merupakan studi lanjutan (tahun kedua) yang dimaksudkan untuk mengungkap lebih jauh keterkaitan antara realitas praktek pernikahan dini anak perempuan (perkawinan dibawah usia 18 tahun) dengan ideologi gender dalam komunitas miskin di Provinsi Jawa Timur. Studi ini juga ingin tnengungkap bagaimana nilai-nilai dan sistem patriarki dalam praktek pernikahan dini anak perempuan pada komunitas tniskin. Studi ini lebih jauh juga ingin menemukan bagaimana model dan strategi pengaurutamaan gender yang dapat diimplementasikan untuk perlindungan clan pencegahan praktek pernikahan dini bagi komunitas miskin di Provinsi Jawa Timur. Sebagai studi lanjutan, studi ini dilakukan di lokasi penelitian sesuai studi pada tahun pertama, yaitu di 3 (tiga) Kabupaten dalam wilayah Provinsi Jawa Timur, di Kabupaten Sampang, Kabupaten Blitar dan Kabupaten Ponorogo. Subyek penelitian ini adalah anak perempuan pelaku-korban pernikahan dini usia sebelum 18 tahun dan anggota keluarga besarnya serta tokoh masyarakat dalam komunitas miskin dimana terjadi praktek pemikahan dini anak perempuan. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode kualitatif yang dilengkapi dengan data kuantitatif. Studi ini adalah sebuah studi kebijakan dengan pendekatan perspektif gender. Dalam studi ini Teori Relasi Gender dan Seksualitas dari Foucault digunakan sebagai pisau analisis dalam memahami realitas pernikahan dini anak perempuan di Provinsi Jawa Timur. Studi ini juga menggunakan kerangka analisis teori Kemiskinan untuk memahami realitas pernikahan dini anak perempuan di kalangan komunitas miskin di Provinsi Jawa Timur. Hasil akhir dari studi ini adalah tersusunnya pendekatan dan analisis baru model perlindungan dan pencegahan praktek pemikahan dini anak perempuan dalam komunitas miskin di Provinsi Jawa Timur yang berperspektif gender. Model ini adalah model pemberdayaan yang bersifat holistik yang dapat menjamin kondisi kesetaraan gender bagi perempuan dan Iaki-laki khususnya dalam komunitas miskin menuju kesejahteraan keluarga dan masyarakat