Stronger Civil Society in Indonesia .

July 15, 2013

A local women’s association is helping women access state-run microfinance programs to empower women in Indonesia.

Indonesia is the world’s third largest democracy and an emerging regional economic leader. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee equal access to justice and prosperity. Women make up only 38 percent of the labor force, a rate that has been steadily decreasing while the percentage of female-headed households remains steady.

Because strong civil society organizations play a key role in representing their members’ interests to policy makers, a group of women from Deli Serdang in Northern Sumatera established the Association of Indonesian Women Unions (HAPSARI).

At the time, it was a small organization with a big mission: to promote economic opportunities for women to increase gender equity in Indonesia and better contribute to a more just and prosperous society. Today, HAPSARI actively promotes Indonesian women’s social and economic equity by educating women about their rights and resources available for economic empowerment, and providing members with opportunities to engage in public dialogue with national and local members of parliaments through public discussions.

Over the last two decades, the organization has grown to include 10 women’s associations in five provinces. Recently, HAPSARI partnered with Chemonics and USAID through the Indonesia Program Representasi (ProRep) to promote awareness of a state-run microfinance program—Kredit Usaha Rakyat, or KUR—that provides micro, revolving loans for small business owners. Using grant funds and international technical expertise provided by ProRep, HAPSARI is helping women access small business credits through the KUR. By training them to access these loans, HAPSARI is helping women to empower themselves economically.

HAPSARI also used grant funds to train 30 women in effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting methodologies. This enhanced organizational capacity will allow them to deliver sustained, high-quality policy analysis in the future which will help frame the debate about gender equity issues.

At the national level, HAPSARI organized a National Dialogue Forum titled “Ending Women’s Poverty” in Jakarta in early 2013. Participants included representatives from HAPSARI’s member organizations, from the national parliament and the House of Regional Representatives, and from the National Commission for Women’s Affairs. The conference provided a valuable opportunity for open dialogue between citizens and policy makers about economic and social gender equity.

10

women's associations in five provinces involved with program

30

women trained in effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting techniques

In praise of HAPSARI and its achievements, Dr. Darmayanti Lubis, the House of Regional Representatives member from the North Sumatera electoral area, and Her Majesty Queen Hemas committed to building relations between HAPSARI members and the district and provincial government, as well as supporting access to business capital for women.

“I am ready to meet with HAPSARI in North Sumatra to [help] develop their economic and political agenda,”, said Dr. Lubis. This public endorsement for HAPSARI’s activities represents a major victory for the organization’s sustainable, long-term capacity to represent women’s interests in Indonesia.

The USAID/Indonesia ProRep project seeks to address remaining barriers to good governance and democratic consolidation in Indonesia by strengthening civil society organizations, supporting public policy research, and facilitating the efforts of Indonesia’s parliaments to become more effective, responsive, and transparent institutions.