Central Java

This paper endeavors to understand how Indonesian new-developmental state addresses gender equality and women’s empowerment in its effort to institutionalize the participatory approach into the state bureaucracy. It pays attention to the way the new developmental ideology has shaped the participatory governance policy as an instrument of village development instead of an alternative mechanism of deepening democracy and reworking the structure of the traditional gender ideology.

In general poverty reduction uses two approaches: economic development to increase income, and community empowerment to improve the capacity of human resources. The success of poverty reduction schemes is determined, among others, by its policy and targeting accuracy. The policy can be targeted at the community, family, or individual which is disaggregated by age and gender.

Prior to the implementation of Law No. 6/2014 on Villages (the “Village Law”), the prevailing policies on village areas were considered ineffective in bringing change at the village level, particularly in terms of village governance. The implementation of the Village Law thus offers new possibilities for village development, given that the Village Law views villages as being self-regulating and self-managing.

• Law No. 6/2014 on Villages (the Village Law) gave village heads greater authority and larger budgets to regulate and manage their communities' interests.
• It is important to ensure that village governance is carried out based on the principles of participation, transparency, and accountability.
• The institution that is specifically assigned by the Village Law to monitor the implementation of village governance is the Village Council (Badan Permusyawaratan Desa, BPD).

Law No. 6/2014 on Villages (Village Law) provides opportunities for village governments to cater to the needs of the community. The kecamatan, being a part of the kabupaten government which have been carrying out the mandate for decentralization, is integral to Village Law implementation. Unfortunately, the involvement of the kecamatan has not been well regulated. The role of the kecamatan needs to be strengthened, given the weak capacities of village governments with varying topography and geographical conditions in Indonesia.

The distribution of Village Fund (VF) has entered its third year in 2017, yet delays in distribution and disbursement continue to occur and could potentially undermine the quality of VF spending. The challenge is how to develop a simple mechanism that accommodates village capacity, while upholding the principle of accountability.