Lastri, District Women's School Coordinator, Gresik, East Java

Abstract

Lastri's story is part of a peer-reviewed edited volume of women's life stories that draws on detailed ethnographic research of village women's lived experiences and how they, individually and collectively, have taken action to influence village development in Indonesia's multi-level governance structure under the new Village Law in Indonesia. The analysis identifies the processes of women's empowerment, their involvement in grassroots women's collective action, engagement with civil society organisations, and how women influence village institutions, policies, development spending and priorities, and new projects as well as social norms in communities.

Lastri lives in Gresik, East Java where KAPAL Perempuan and its local partner KPS2K (Women's Groups and Sources of Life) supported women to organise an informal Women's School. Lastri overcame her family's opposition to her joining the School and she through its sessions and activities has increased her understanding of gender equity as well as strategies to tackle inequality at home. The Women's School has worked with the National Insurance Scheme (BPJS) and Healthy Indonesia to help community members access social protection and health care. Lastri drew on her personal experience of confronting barriers to access health care and checks to advocate early-detection tests for cervical cancer. This advocacy resulted in early detection checks for cervical cancer and other health conditions coordinated by the Women's School in collaboration with Ibnu Sina Hospital in Gresik, the Gresik District Office of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, and other government agencies.