Direct community involvement in urban planning processes is stipulated in Indonesia’s National Development Planning System through Musrenbang, or a ‘Multi-Stakeholder Consultation Forum for Development Planning’. The Forum is organized to accommodate the needs and perspectives of various stakeholders affected by existing and potential national and regional urban development plans. This can range from issues of broader government policy to more localized community planning efforts. Unfortunately, women and other vulnerable groups are not explicitly mentioned in the Musrenbang. Based on ITDP Indonesia’s observations through Kampung Kota Bersama, an ITDP initiative focused on community engagement and sustainable mobility, Musrenbang forums across the Neighborhood and the Community Association (RT/RW) levels, sub-districts, and villages rarely involve women. Women’s presence and engagement could and should be much more extensive in these forums, and it is critical to dispel regional beliefs that women are not well-versed in technical matters. These barriers have often limited women’s participation in urban planning, especially in public transport, and perpetuates policies and infrastructure that are not created with gender equity and accessibility in mind.
The post In Indonesia, Women’s Inclusion in the Urban Planning Process is Essential first appeared on Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.
