The Local Elite Dynamics in the Formation of Regional Regulations Concerning the Empowerment and Protection of Women in Bogor City

Abstract

This study examines how the power dynamics of local elites affect the process of formulating Regional Regulations (Perda) on Women's Empowerment and Protection in the Bogor City DPRD. Although Indonesia has a national commitment to Gender Mainstreaming (PUG), implementation at the regional level is often hampered by local political dominance. Using a descriptive-analytical qualitative methodology with a case study in Bogor City, this study analyzes the micropolitical interaction of local elites through in-depth interviews and document analysis. The findings suggest that local political elites, who are fragmented between normative-emancipatory and pragmatic-governance value orientations, as well as influenced by conservative views and party interests, tend to tame gender narratives in policy. The concept of empowerment shifted to the domestic-economic realm, ignoring the strengthening of women's political capacity. The legislative process is dominated by negotiation and defensive compromise, resulting in legal products that are weak in substance, less responsive to women's needs, and vulnerable to implementation dysfunction due to budget constraints and lack of executive commitment. The gap between the high incidence of violence against women and the slow legislative response underscores the contingency between social needs and the capacity of the legislative system. Implicitly, gender policy advocacy needs to be focused on the formulation and budgeting stages to prevent substance weakening.