Gender and Peace Workshop, Another Forum for Communication

Last week, I was amazed and inspired by the effectiveness of reporting centers and safe spaces for communication between families, and this week is no different. I continue to be impressed with the discussion and problem solving around community issues, in this case gender inequality and injustices.

I was fortunate to attend a “Gender and Peace Training” facilitated by three organizations from the Palu area, YAMMI (Indonesia Civil Society Foundation), SHK (Community Forestry System) and Yayasan Bone Bula (White Sand Foundation). These three groups set out to map the District of Donggala for causes of potential conflict, and a few of their findings include, competition for access to and control of natural resources, inadequate data about ethic groups in this area and policies which are not gender inclusive. From the participatory community mapping, YAMMI, SHK and Bone Bula realized that community members’ understanding and knowledge of gender was less sophisticated than they assumed, so the “Gender and Peace” training was adjusted to address the community members’ specific needs.

The “Gender and Peace” training, which included local men and women, related a variety of information about gender including a discussion on the basic differences of sex and gender leading to increased verbalization of gender injustices in communities. The workshop also included discussions about the discrepancies between the types and amount of work that men and women perform, the barriers to work women face, and the lack of women’s participation in community development and policy. To highlight these differences the workshop facilitator, Jerna Wati from the Indonesia Women’s Coalition, along with the participants, created a timetable or daily schedule, describing women’s and men’s tasks throughout the day. The differences were staggering; women’s schedules were slam-packed with household chores, food preparation and child care, as men’s schedules, with jobs outside the household, had considerably more free-time, involvement in the community and influence in public policies. The workshop participants also discussed the negative effects that these differences in the work force have on women’s health, education and access to information and technology. Following the training the participants chose to lobby their local governments to ensure women are invited to participate in village development planning. In addition workshop participants now better realize gender inequalities and are eager and motivated to hold meetings in their own communities to disseminate this information.

I recognize a discussion about sex and gender, and the realization of gender inequalities will not change communities and policy overnight, but it is a step in the right direction. However, from one workshop on gender the impact could be life changing. Communities will include women’s perspectives and opinions in employment and governmental policy making, and begin discussions about gender with members of their communities. Again I am realizing the power of communication and conversation to avoid violence and maintain peace; all it takes is people talking to one another and understanding multiple points of view. As women verbalize their experiences with gender inequality, and become empowered to discuss their concerns with the government, their communities and their families, I am confident that these women and men will create positive, peaceful and gender inclusive change.

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The B Factor

When I first arrived in Indonesia, I was warned that in certain places I would feel like a rock-star. Children would call out to me, “Hey Mister!” and others would ask to take my picture. I was told that I would generally be the center of attention most places I went. I listened to the warning and thanked the messenger, but then I quickly dismissed it. Why would anyone want to take my picture? What could possible make me interesting to strangers on the street? At that time, I could not have imagined being on stage at a televised dangdut concert three weeks later (Dangdut is a type of Indonesian music heavily inspired by music from India). I had no idea how real the warning of rock-star treatment was actually going to be!
During my work with Serasi, I became aware of what we learned to call “The B Factor.” The “B” in The B Factor refers to the Indonesian word buleh. Originally, this word referred to natives born as albinos, but it eventually came to represent all Caucasian people; now it covers all Westerners. Walking down the streets in many Indonesian cities, I am greeted by people calling out, “Buleh, buleh!” I typically smile and wave a polite hello, or if I’m feeling particularly entertaining I’ll call back with a few Indonesian greetings. This is usually followed by a long deep laugh from the initiator of the conversation.
The B Factor extends beyond the street. Stories were told by Serasi team members of attempting to rent cars in remote locations only to be denied again and again until a buleh appeared. Once the westerner arrived, cars suddenly became available and nearly anything was possible. When the local TV station in Palu learned that Serasi had two buleh interns in town, the entire office was invited to be VIP guests at the station’s monthly concert. We had front row sofas, drinks, and food. The station manager and many of the station employees regularly checked on us to make sure that we were enjoying ourselves. On three different occasions I found myself on stage as some sort of combination of back up dancer and comedy act. The experience was one I will never forget.
I’ve also learned that The B Factor is more than entertainment. While working in the field it was clear that although I was only the intern and had little experience in most of the project areas being developed, everything I said was taken as fact. Even when I did my best to hedge my comments against this possibility the response was always agreement with my statement. The Serasi Program Officer with whom I was working could speak for thirty minutes without being able to convince the local representative of a particular idea, and a quick statement from me could easily change a mind. I was benefitting from expert status based on my ethnicity – not on any level of knowledge.
This aspect of The B Factor comes with a great deal of responsibility. Having all eyes on me for the majority of my time in Indonesia has been a new challenge. Although it can be nice to have every word I speak be respected and believed, I have had to be intentional in remembering to speak cautiously when helping to brainstorm ideas, for as soon as I speak an idea the brainstorming screeches to a halt. In our efforts to help communities around the world, it is important to be conscious of the cultural clout that accompanies us. Working in an office of Indonesian nationals and spending time with local people in the field, it is important for me and all expat workers to remember that we are only guests in this place and that the decisions should be made by the people. Even when we aren’t interested in making the decisions for the local people, it is also important to remember how highly our opinions are respected, regardless of how well educated they are. We are here to help, but if we are not conscious of the weight of our words, we may well end up doing more harm than good. Serasi’s system of using local staff in Palu seems to help. This system is designed to support peace building in Indonesia by allowing the local people to make their own decisions and appears to be a good way around the overpowering influence of The B Factor. The more people that are allowed and encouraged to use their own ideas to help themselves the more likely the peace will last.

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