The city, PKK leaders, and women’s empowerment

This paper examines the strategic roles of leaders of state-organized women’s groups of the Pemberdayaan dan Kesejahteraan Keluarga (Family Welfare and Empowerment or PKK), in the development of Ruang Publik Terpadu Ramah Anak (Child-Friendly Integrated Public Spaces or RPTRA) in the province of Jakarta, Indonesia. This is a qualitative study undertaken via in-depth interviews with PKK leaders and relevant officials. It is also based on observations I made of RPTRA Mutiara and RPTRA Serdang Baru in Central Jakarta, between 2019 and 2022. I found that the PKK leaders have been able to influence the design of the RPTRA that are now equipped with lactation rooms that enable women to move outside and participate more easily in public spaces. These have promoted women’s empowerment, group formation and collective action and have focused on bringing women’s interests into the initial design of the RPTRA. This paper suggests that while “State Ibuism” continues to be an important concept, PKK leaders are showing signs of adopting new ideologies and practices that indicate progressive feminist thinking and directions that are important and need to be studied.