Questions/Answers

From the total population of Parepare City as of 2017 as many as 138,699 people, the majority (50.95%) are women. However, the female labor force participation rate only reached 52.90%, much lower than the male labor participation rate (81.30%). In fact, the total number of women in the workforce is less than that of men. Parepare City has 3 sub-districts and 11 towns with coastal characteristics that have the potential to be developed through a coastal-based economy. Unfortunately, in these areas, there are still many women who are classified as poor and unemployed, making them a vulnerable group By considering the problems and potentials of coastal areas, women's empowerment thus far had only provided training and mentoring for a short period of time and is not sustainable. This is what led to the birth of the Women Oversee Women (WOW/known by locals as Berdaya Srikandi oleh Srikandi) initiative. This initiative was first carried out through the recruitment of three local female scholars through interview selection as facilitators and a female coach from civil servants of Parepare City. These coach and facilitators will provide technical and managerial training and guide women's groups in planning, implementing and marketing their business plans. Along with the increasing number of groups, the facilitators and coaches also increased to 12 people. At the initial phase of the initiative, there was resistance from some husbands and other male family members that the women worked, but with socialization and informal approaches, they finally gave women the opportunity to work in groups. The WOW initiative has been very effective and has succeeded in achieving its goal of increasing women's labor force participation and increasing women's income in Parepare City. Until 2019, this innovation has increased women's coastal labor force participation by 425.71% and increased women's monthly income by 140.20%.

This initiative is specifically aimed at alleviating poverty and unemployment, which have been closely related to the lives of women in coastal areas. Through continuous empowerment of women's groups by women coaches and facilitators, this initiative also seeks to eradicate old stereotypes of women as mere domestic actors. Women who become group members not only receive training and facilitation of business licensing, but also actively participate in developing their group's business ideas from planning to implementation. In training, these women are not only equipped with technical skills, but also advanced skills such as digital marketing through social media and e-marketplaces.

The SDGs target that underlies Women Oversee Women innovation is related to SDGs Goal 8, particularly in target 8.3 “Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services”. It supports indicator 8.3.1 percentage of the women informal workforce in the agricultural sector. The achievement indicator is an increase in women's work participation by 425.71% (in 2017 there were 70 people to 368 people in 2019). The initiative also contributes to target 8.5 “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value” on two indicators. First is indicator 8.5.1 Average hourly earnings of women employees, where the income of coastal women has increased by an average of 140.20% (in 2017 it was IDR 33,000 / hour to IDR 79,200 / hour in 2019). The second indicator is 8.5.2 Open unemployment rate based on sex. The initiative has reduced women unemployment particularly in the coastal areas from 100% in 2017 to 60.13% in 2019.

This innovation is sustainable because of the existence of social capital in the community: the strong bond between target groups and the coaches and facilitators. The involvement of coastal women who are regularly involved both individually and in groups is increasing, from 70 to 368 people, as well as the number of coaches and facilitators. Coastal women have felt very meaningful benefits from this innovation such as increasing income and providing jobs to coastal women as well as obtaining support from financial institutions and State-Owned Enterprises. This innovation also encourages sustainable development through processing fishery product waste so as to provide added value to coastal women and be more environmentally friendly.

Women Oversee Women initiative has changed the face of empowerment service to women significantly. Since this initiative, women who are the target group have not only been given ongoing training and mentoring for the businesses they are developing, but also the ease of information and facilitation related to legal matters, business licensing, and financing/capital. Through this initiative, old ways in empowering women, which tended to run in silos by each agency, are slowly being eroded and becoming collaborative, as evidenced by the involvement of State-Owned Enterprises, CSRs from private companies, and other government agencies in carrying out this initiative. This innovation has become a joint program to improve the quality of life for women in coastal areas. This initiative also reinforces participatory governance aspects. Coastal women (70 people) used to be objects only in service activities, such as only attending training programmed by the government, which comes without any follow-up, so that there was no progress in the business they were running. After the existence of WOW innovation, women not only receive training, but also continuous mentoring by the “srikandis” (coaches and facilitators).

Before the initiative launched in 2017, women's work participation was 70 people who worked (7.58%), and 555 people did not work (92.41%) of the total 923 women in the coastal labor force. This has the potential for social vulnerability in meeting subsistent economic needs. After the initiative, there were 368 working women (39.87%) who were facilitated to work in fishery business groups including 22 women household heads. In addition, assisting women and beneficiary coastal women do not only play a role in carrying out their duties but involve themselves in the planning and decision-making process for future innovation development.

The main target groups of this initiative are poor and unemployed women in coastal areas. To date, beneficiaries reached 368 women. These women have to establish groups, a process which begins with identification of prospective members related to their daily activities. If the prospective members who pass the identification reach 10 people, a group can be formed and confirmed by the village head. Further, the groups go to administrative and legal recording process, with help of facilitators and coaches. From 368 women empowered, 184 women or 50% have managed to have business, the rest 110 women (30%) has been producing and marketing continuously and 74 women (20%) produce goods to order. The production of coastal women rose from 6,260.80 kg in 2017 to 343,533 kg in 2019 and the number of marketing locations increased from 3 locations in 2017 to 38 locations in 2019. From group members who have been self-employed, they have improved from being poor recipients of rice aid, now they are able to fulfill the their basic needs, send their children to school and can even employ the poor around their houses.

The innovation was launched on 1 August 2017 with education and facilitative approaches which are integrated with a strategy of utilizing local female scholars as facilitators. The implementation of this innovation begins with the socialization of awareness of the importance of women's roles in productive economic activities and at the same time the formation of coastal women's groups. Then carried out capacity building through technical guidance regarding provision of group mentoring systems. The implementation of this innovation, begins with technical training for production and business managerial as well as the practice of using repeated production technology, so that it becomes a skilled and productive workforce. Assistance is carried out continuously to motivate group members so that they are able to increase production, add product types, expand marketing locations and increase income. Coaches and facilitators coastal women's groups to be able to access group institutional legality, in the form of group affirmations, group Notary Deeds, and Registered Certificates (SKT). Furthermore, the facilitators help the group to be able to increase access to potential resources, such as product quality assurance, product registration, halal quality assurance and business capital obtained from Pertamina in 2017 and Bank Rakyat Indonesia in 2017 to 2019. Since 2020 coastal women have also obtain a work safety guarantee from the Manpower Social Security Administering Body. Monitoring is carried out periodically once in three months. Meanwhile, the evaluation results of this innovation show changes in the capacity of the coastal women in developing independent group business, adding product types, adding marketing extent both local and inter-island. Survey is also carried out to the target groups to view the participation technology utilization level (the result is 3.8 or high), cooperation (3.0 or high), work satisfaction (3.4 or high) and support access/business capital (3.2 or high).

Initially, there were rejections from the husbands of the target groups who thought that women are not supposed to be the breadwinners. Persuasive measures was then conducted by visiting each woman’s house to promote an understanding that working wife will not degrade the husband's dignity, but rather will support family members well-being. There are also problems such as shortage of raw materials amidst high demand, poor quality of products, and the difficulty marketing products. These issues have been overcome through additional and adjustment of training curriculum and methods, collaborating with new raw material providers, and expanding marketing through online marketplaces.

This innovation breaks the general view in Indonesia that women are weak creatures, do not have the ability to facilitate, only play a role in the domestic sphere, and many other negative stigma. With this innovation, the remarkable results were seen in increasing female labor participation and average monthly income. This innovation breaks the general view in Indonesia that women are weak creatures, do not have the ability to facilitate, only play a role in the domestic sphere, and many other negative stigma. With this innovation, the remarkable results were seen in increasing female labor participation and average monthly income

This innovation is an original idea that was built from the problems and potentials in the coastal area of Parepare City. Before this initiative was implemented, and still is elsewhere in Indonesia, women's empowerment was carried out several times and just implemented the program, thus not sustainable and sub-optimal. However, with the empowerment innovation that is carried out with an integrated educational and facilitative approach to coastal women, it creates inclusive and adaptive services. In implementing this innovation, collaborative governance among municipal departments and with other parties are key to success.

This innovation is not based on technology, but participating women not only get information from fellow members and facilitators but are also encouraged to access information online. Most business phases from raw materials supply from local markets to ordering area also made through online social media such as Facebook and WhatsApp. The marketing is not only done off line but also online by using many channels including e-marketplaces such as Shopee. Products of the women business groups are also displayed on the website of Parepare City Government in the form of a Product Gallery and catalogue.

This innovation has the potential to be applied and adapted in other contexts because technically the implementation has been tested and succeeded. This innovation has been studied, observed and there are always duplicate study visits from the Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, South Sulawesi Province, West Sulawesi Province and the State Agricultural Polytechnic of Central Sulawesi Province. For regency level, from the Livestock and Fisheries Service Office of Enrekang Regency, the Fisheries Gency of Barru Regency, the Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Majene Regency. The places for comparative study and apprenticeship for university students, are the Pangkep State Agricultural Polytechnic, Muhammadiyah Parepare University, the Makassar Diwa Institute of Science and Technology. This innovation has considerable potential for replication because even this innovation originated from a pilot sub-district which could then expand to all coastal sub-districts in Parepare.

This innovation is highly transferable in any location which has similar or different natural potential such as daerah rural areas as long as they understand social capital and understand the relationships between actors, in this case women, by utilizing existing natural resources, assistants who understand the cultural, social and psychological conditions faced by members of women's groups. In addition, we have also compiled a Service Operational Standard manual, so that if other regions or countries desire to replicate this innovation, they visit Parepare City government’s official website.

This innovation can be carried out with the support of Parepare City Government starting from planning, budgeting, increasing human resources as stated in the Regional Development Plan for 2018-2023 and the Strategic Plan of the Agriculture, Maritime and Fisheries Agency. In 2019, Rp. 165,000,000 is budgeted for the initiative. Fulfillment of Human Resources consists of a 2-person Innovator Team, a 6-person Coaching Team, 6 Facilitators, 2 pack house managers and a guided group. Facilities and infrastructure consist of 1 unit of packaging houses, 2 units of four-wheeled vehicles, 3 units of three-wheeled vehicles. This innovation involves several related stakeholders.

The continuity of this innovation is supported by the existence of a Mayor's Regulation concerning Standard Operating Procedures for the Empowerment of Coastal Communities and is also supported by contributions to its implementation from the Trade Agency, the Health Agency, the Social Agency, the One-Stop Capital Service and Integrated Services, the Youth, Sports. and Tourism Agency, the Women Empowerment and Child Protection Agency, the Office ofCommunication and Information Technology Agency, the Association of Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs, the Indonesian National Craft Council, Empowerment of Family Welfare, Muhammadiyah University of Parepare, Fisheries Entrepreneurs, Pertamina/Bank/Insurance.

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Externally evaluation have been carried out by the National Institute of Public Administration (LAN) in 2018 which aims to carry out assessment over the WOW to obtain reward from the Mayor of Parepare. The Faculty of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, University of Muhammadiyah Parepare also collaborates in the field of "Research and Community Service" which aims to obtain recommendations related to the dynamics of implementing this innovation. Internally, The Office of Agriculture, Marine and Fisheries, periodically conducts Monitoring and Evaluation with the aim of accommodating the dynamics of implementing this innovation, assessing the effectiveness of initiatives including cross-sector coordination.

The measure of success in this innovation is social indicators and economic indicators with the comparative approach and quantitative descriptive methods. The comparative is to compare the changes before and after innovation and the following years. Meanwhile, quantitative descriptive describes the changes using a scale of 4 (very high, high, low and very low). The result is to answer SDG indicator number 8.3.1. (B) where the target is to increase the percentage of informal workers in the agricultural sector. This innovation also answers the SDGs indicator Number 8.5.2 to reduce unemployment.

From LAN’s evaluation, the initiative was then awarded as the best innovation in the category of public service in the innovation competition in the scope of Parepare City government in 2018, while from the evaluation of the Muhammadiyah University of Parepare the results were very effective in changing the level of awareness, playing a role in the group which had a very good impact on increasing production and income. The main result of internal evaluation answers the main objective of the birth of the innovation. This is demonstrated by women’s work participation which has increased by 425.17% from 70 people (2017) to 368 people (2019), while monthly average income per capita also increased by 140.20%, from Rp791,000/month (2017) to become Rp1,900,000/month. The productivity also increases from 6,260.80 kg to 343,533 kg with a production value of Rp. 156,353,500 (2017) rises to Rp. 686,836,667 (2019). The results of this innovation have encouraged Parepare City Government to strengthen its commitment, especially in providing resources at all stages of the women’s business. Several M&E results have been accommodated to perfect the implementation of this innovation in accordance with its main objectives, such as creating SOPs, innovation implementation manuals and increasing budgeting allocations.

The innovation is included in the Regional Development Plan of 2018 which ensures its budget allocation from Parepare City budget as well as contribution from the city’s departments. This innovation can run well because of the strong commitment of the Mayor of Parepare in encouraging institutions at the level of Parepare City. Coordination across sectors prior to this innovation was not integrated, so it seemed that it was not going as expected. Learning from such experience, Parepare City Government has made a Memorandum of Understanding Belajar of cross-regional work units for the sake of integrated implementation of innovation with the aim of increasing female labor force participation and member income. Regional work units committed to developing innovation are the Agriculture, Marine and Fisheries Agency and the Regional Development Planning Agency as executors and drivers of coordination. The related supporting agencies in the planning, implementation and evaluation include: township and Sub-district government as well as regional departments such as Trade, Health, Youth, Sport and Tourism, Women Empowerment and Children Protection, Communication and Information, Social Affairs. Other parties like state-owned and private enterprises contribute in the facilitation of Corporate social responsibility and ease of capital access.

Planning: The stakeholders are the Agriculture, Marine and Fisheries Agency (AMFA), townships and Sub-districts and women group of business actors community, who entirely collaborate in inauguration of groups up to designing business plans. Implementation: The AMFA collaborates with the Business Licensing Agency in administering business permit and product quality certificate, with Notary and Health Agency to collaborate in issuing Registered Certificate, Issuance of Deed and Household Industrial Licensing, and with Youth, Sport and Tourism Agency, the Indonesian National Craft Council, and the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) in the marketing of coastal women's products. Collaboration was also carried out with multiple parties including universities in organizing technical training on the application of appropriate technology and on-line marketing. Collaboration with cooperatives and fishery entrepreneurs is carried out in the supply of fish raw materials and fishery product waste. Companies such as Pertamina and Financial Institutions as well as Employment Social Security Agency are participating in strengthening capital through equipment assistance, corporate social responsibility grants, micro business protection and credit, and work safety guarantees. Evaluation: Various municipal departments and women coastal businesses themselves collaborate in achieving activity objectives, monitoring licensing completeness of home industries and the quality of production results.

The lesson learned in this innovation is that the strong bond between facilitators and the facilitated women is crucial. Thus, other initiatives which intent to replicate the WOW program must find ways to have this factor. Parepare city innovates according to the coastal women’s conditions and characteristics, so as to facilitate coaching according to the needs of fellow women. The results are a decrease in the unemployment rate and an increase in women's labor force participation and an increase in women's income, the independence of women's groups in Parepare City. Other key success factor is joined-up government approach as well as multi-stakeholders collaborations. The initiative’s overperformance is due to the work of various actors and institutions orchestrated by shared vision to improve the well-being of the women living in coastal areas and their family members.