Can women's empowerment include men Evidence from rural Indonesia suggests that incorporating theories of masculinity into the empowerment approach can improve program results for women

Abstract

This article details findings from a case study in East Java, Indonesia, where a male engagement component was piloted in coordination with an already-successful women's empowerment program. A qualitative longitudinal study was used to document results and help the implementors look for evidence of change. This pilot was specifically designed to introduce the possibility of male support, without allowing men to interject any decision-making power to the already functioning empowerment groups. This purposefully small-scale intervention worked with only 81 informants and a very limited budget to demonstrate the possibility of replication. The intervention, despite limited resources, managed to produce real outcomes and opened the space for men and women in these pilot communities to discuss household power dynamics and domestic responsibilities. Further testing and data collection is recommended for other grassroots groups to verify if this hybrid approach to women's empowerment is indeed scalable and transferable.