CHANGES IN GENDER ROLE IN PURBALINGGA

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Changes in Gender Role among Hair Manufacturers Workers Families
In Purbalingga, Central Java, Indonesia
Dyah Retna Puspita, Rin Rostikawati, Lilis Sri Sulistiani
J enderal Soedirman University, Central J ava Indonesia

Abstract

The number of wig and artificial eyelash manufacturers in Purbalingga absorbing thousands
of female workers has made males difficult to get job. This fact tends to cause the changes in
gender role distribution among the female workers families and the condition makes the
wives economically dominant. Through interview conducted in the form of focus group
discussion with 13 family planning agents at village level, this research is focused to answer
these three questions: 1) How does the phenomenon of the shift of the gender role occur in
hair factory labors families? 2) How are the impacts of the phenomenon toward the family
life and the environment? 3) What kind of family planning extension that they need to keep
the family strength? Individual interviews had been undertaken and strenghthened by focus
group discussion with all informants. Our analysis finds that: (1) changes in gender role of
labour household actually undergo in their environment, (2) such a phenomena has been
impacted on division of duties between husband and wife as well as their relation with
environment, and (3) along with the phenomenon, it is recuired a new approach of family
planning extension program which not only focused on the wife side but also the husband
one. Based on these findings, this study concludes that changes in gender role of labour
household can provide opportunities to improve male participation in family planning.
Key words: family planning extension program, gender role


Introduction
Family development is an effort to realize a quality family in a healthy environment.
This development needs to be put on priority due to its function as the core of a society and it
has a strategic function that cannot be replaced by other institution.
Family Planning and Women Empowerment Board (BKBPP) in all regencies of
Indonesia is one of the institutions that are responsible for family development, particularly
family planning. In this decentralization era, at which the work program budget is generally
limited, the institution has to be responsive to the need and the problem of each family in
each region to get an optimal result.
One of the family issues emerging recently is the change in gender role where wives
are economically more dominant than husbands. Purbalingga is regency in Central J ava
where this case occurs. It may be caused by a high number of artificial hair manufacturers
(the factories also manufacture eyelash and wig) that absorb thousands of female labors. Up
to March 2012, there have been 32 manufacturers, in which 18 of them are foreign investors
coming from China and South Korea. It makes Purbalingga the second biggest wig
manufacturer in the world after Guangzhou, China. (AntaraNews.com, J uly 7, 2011).
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Based on the data released by Department of Social, Labor, and Transmigration
(Dinsosnakertran) of Purbalingga, in 2012 there are 28.853 female labors (88,8%) out of
32.261 labors in general; whereas the rest are male (11,2% or 3.608). The limited work field
for male labors is seen from the data: out of 16.653 unemployed, 73,83% are male.
(http://kotaperwira.com/angka-pengangguran-didominasi-laki-laki). The imbalance of the
work field seems to result in such a phenomenon, which is called PamongPraja (an
acronym for papa momong, mama bekerja, which means the father takes care for the
children, while the mother works).
The shift of the gender role is interested to analyze along with the data of the divorces
in Purbalingga. The data say that the divorces occur in Purbalingga are mostly initiated by the
wives, as shown by the following table:
Table 1. The Development of the number of divorces in Purbalingga Regency
Number of cases Year
2009 2010 2011
Divorce by husband 468 644 583
Divorce by wife 1.239 1.331 1.514
Total number 1.707 1.975 2.097
Source: The Civil Court of Purbalingga Regency, 2012
Another phenomenon related to the domestic inharmoniousness is domestic abuse,
which happens to 17 families in 2012 as reported by Tim Harapan (Hapus Kekerasan
terhadap Perempuan dan Anak). The team is formed as an effort to erase the domestic abuse
particularly in the regency of Purbalingga. Despite the decreasing number of this case, there
is a thought that this is an iceberg phenomenon where the real condition is not like what it
seems; the number of domestic abuse cases is still high. (http//kotaperwira.com/sosialisasi-
rencana-aksi-nasional-hak-asasi-manusia-ran-ham#ixzzlopC7BAVV).
The description above shows us that generally, the domestic strength of the family in
Purbalingga regency is weak. Since family is the core of a society, the researcher needs to
study this case to get the suitable approach on family development as an effort to improve the
family strength. The problem statements are arranged as follow:
1. How does the phenomenon of the shift of the gender role distribution occur in hair factory
labors families?
2. How are the impacts of the phenomenon toward the family life and the environment?
3. What kind of family planning extension that they need to keep the family stength?

Theoritical Background
1. Family Development
In Article 1 Verse 7 of Demography and Family Development Law No.52 2009 stated
that Family development is an effort to create a quality family in a healthy environment.
The family development is important because family has several strategic functions. Family
is the most important source to create a social capital, which is a prerequisite for the civil
society. (Fukuyama, 1999). Without the social capital, there is no civil society, and without
civil society, there is no democracy. (Tocqueville in Fukuyama, 1999).
Family is the vehicle to develop mega skills and moral virtues. The failure in
developing those mega skills cannot be overcome by other social institutions, including
schools. (Rich, 1997 and Popov et al., 1997).
We can draw a conclusion from the explanation above that family has several
strategic functions in developing a quality society. Therefore, we have to pay more attention
to the family development.
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2. The Contribution of Family Strength to the Family Development
Family strength is a condition where a family has determination and tenacity either
physically or mentally in order to live independently and to develop the whole family to live
harmoniously physically and psychologically as well. The valid family strength shows the
family capacity in fulfilling the physical, psychological, and social endurance (Sunarti, 2001).
Family strength and prosperity is a condition where a family has determination and
tenacity and also physical-material ability to live independently and develop the whole family
to live harmoniously in increasing the prosperity physically as well as mentally (Article 1
Verse 7 of Demography and Family Development Law No.52 2009).
A family with good endurance can take a part in reducing juvenile delinquency.
According to Kartono (1986), an inharmonious family life, either for divorce or other reasons
such as dispute and separation, causes children lack affection and care. The imbalance of
communication and care between the parents results in inadequacy of physical needs (cloth,
food, and health) as well as affective needs. It brings about the failure of teenagers to
accomplish their outcomes such as work performance and self-confidence.
Syakarani (2004) concluded that mostly, parents in Madura and Banjar do not have
resources to help them develop their childrens potential. It is a quite thoughtful to be
potential to bear a low-quality generation. Meanwhile, Puspitawati (2006) concluded that
economic pressure on a family is potential to indirectly cause juvenile delinquency through
parents guidance. Aggressive behavior and juvenile delinquency are indirectly caused by the
low-quality communication of parents and teenagers as well as by the teenagers high bond to
their friends.
3. Gender role Shift in Family
Gender role is a set of behaviors expected to be present in men-women interaction.
The various gender roles among cultures during certain period of time shows us that culture
does form our gender role. (Myers, 1996). This concept is closely related to the masculine-
feminine concept. Masculine is characteristics that are believed to be formed by culture as
ideal characteristics of men; while feminine is the ideal characteristics of women that are
formed by culture. Femininity and masculinity are related to the stereotype of gender roles;
the stereotype is resulted from the male-female categorization, which is a social
representation in our cognitive structure.
The gender role distribution in a family generally states that men are head of the
family and the breadwinner, while women are the housewives and extra breadwinner (if they
work). This job description has been lasting for certain period of time and continuously has
been socialized by socialization agents such as family, school, religious institution, etc.
Therefore, each party (man and woman) will feel depressed and troubled (internal and
external) if they cannot fulfill the roles.
ONeal, Good, and Holmes (in Nauly, 2002) stated that the gender role conflict is a
psychological circumstance, where socialization of the gender role distribution has a negative
consequence to that person or to others. A man will experience a gender role conflict either
directly or indirectly for six reasons: 1) violating gender role norms, 2) trying or failing to
find masculine role norms, 3) experiencing a distance between his/her real and ideal concept
based on the stereotype of gender role, 4) personally underestimating, limiting, and distorting
him/herself, 5) experiencing value lowering, limiting, or disturbance from others, and 6)
personally lowering, limiting, or disturbing others due to the stereotype of gender role.

Methodology
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This research was conducted in Purbalingga district where so many hair
manufacturers are established. Out of 32 companies, 17 are located in this district, and they
absorb 22.746 workers with the majority numbers are female (90, 02% or 20.476 people).
Considering the limited data and no similar research have been conducted, this
research applied qualitative approach with family planning agents in the whole district as the
main targets. The supporting targets were the family planning educators in the district, the
officials of some related institutions, some workers, and a group of husbands. The data
collection was done through several instruments, such as interview, guided discussion, and
observation. The analysis process of the data was conducted through Miles and Hubermans
interactive data analysis (1992).
Findings
1. The phenomenon of gender role shift in hair manufacturer workers families
According to almost all of the informants, this kind of phenomenon (pamongpraja
phenomenon) occurring in families where the wives are the breadwinners, has been lasting
for several years. In that case, the husbands do not have fixed jobs, or even are jobless.
Generally, the wives (the hair workers) leave for the work places at 7 a.m. and go home at 5
p.m. Most of them go to their work places themselves, and some of them are dropped by their
husbands by motor cycles. That condition makes the street crowded at those hours. Many of
the wives (particularly those who work at eyelash manufacturers) go home vaery late for
working overtime to fulfill the company target. To make extra money, many of them bring
their work home, even on Mondays, they still work. With these work hours, their payment
cannot even reach Rp.1,5 million a month.
Meanwhile, the husbands do various jobs such as becak driver, mechanics, and other
blue-collar workers. It is obvious that the wives earn more income than the husbands. This
condition makes the wives more dominant in managing daily expenses, including buying
hand phones and motor cycles (in monthly installment).
The wives seem to be dominant in planning the number of their children because they
do not want their children to disturb their activities at work. They commonly consume pills or
have injection as the method to control birth. Some of them even use the long-term birth
control method, like IUD (Intra-Uterine Device). However, there are only a few of them
whose husbands are willingly to make use of contraception program for they think that birth
control is the wives responsibility.
Although the wives are economically dominant, they still do household chores before
and after working, and the children are mostly looked after by their grandmothers. However,
some of the husbands are willingly to do those chores.
2. The impacts of PamongPraja phenomenon toward the family and social lives
2.1. impacts on the wives
Generally, they work in a huge room with other hundreds or even thousands other
workers. With limited rest hour and sanitation facility, they do not drink and their bodies do
not metabolize well. This condition is very potential to disturb the kidneys work. While
working, they are also actually in danger because they do not wear masks, and it is potential
to cause respiration problems for they inhale the polluted air caused by the chemical
substances sprayed to the artificial hair. The artificial eyelash workers are also susceptible to
sight disturbances.
On the other hand, the regular and relatively high payment made by some workers has
caused the increase of their daily needs. Hand phones and vehicles are becoming their
primary needs, despite the installments they have to pay per month.

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2.2. impacts on husband-wife relationship
The economic dominance of the wives and their broader knowledge relatively boost
their confidence over the husbands. Yet, according to the family planning agents, it does not
affect the harmoniousness of their relationship.
However, there are some wives who occasionally complain about their family. For
instance, about their tiredness and their expectations toward their husbands to be more
involved in household matters. Some love affairs are also found, done by either the wives or
the husbands, and some divorces are also found.
2.3. impacts on the children care
Working all the day and often overtime makes the wives cannot optimally look after
their children. Generally, the children are looked after by their grandmothers, while the
husbands do not get involved in taking care of the children, yet some of the husbands do take
care of the children well.
Being taken care of by their grandmothers makes the children spoiled because
grandmothers tend to give everything as long as their grandchildren are obedient and
comfortable. This condition causes the children like to eat instant food, and it results in their
suffering from various sicknesses like cough, flu, and diarrhea. Based on information from a
doctor of a public health service in Purbalingga, there is a relatively high tendency for sick
children to be brought by the grandmothers to have medication because the mothers are busy
working.
2.4. impacts on the relationship with environment
An extremely long work hour disables many workers to get in touch with people in
their surroundings. They rarely join social activities held every month, where many useful
family development programs are socialized. The effect is that they lose chances to share
information. Furthermore, they rarely watch television and read newspapers that make them
left behind and not well-informed in household and children cares. Meanwhile, the husbands
tend to join the monthly gathering held in their communities.
3. the need of family planning extension for the pamongpraja family
On the wives side, the limited time has caused them lose the access to useful
information about family and environment. Ironically, many of them have young children,
and those sources of information are still needed for their long-term family lives. In fact, they
have chances to access the information at their work places. In relation to that point, the stake
holders, or the companies in this case, are supposed to give their workers information dealing
with their family lives.
On the husbands side, the shift of the gender role sometimes makes them feel
shifted by the wives dominance. At first, it was stressful and shameful for them, but along
with the fact that they cannot find fixed jobs, they accept that condition. In correlation to the
matter, they are supposed to be involved in family programs such as birth control, childs
development, gender relation, and health. Besides, they are also supposed to be trained to
survive economically on their own feet, such as entrepreneurship training.
Conclusion
From the research, it can be concluded that:
1. The PamongPraja family phenomenon does exist among the female workers of hair
manufacturers. Their husbands do not have fixed jobs, or even are jobless.
2. That phenomenon has a good effect to the economic life of the family, yet it also has side
effects to the worker herself, to the husband-wife relationship, to the child care, and to the
social relationship.
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3. That phenomenon arouses the need to the new approach of family planning extension
program, for both wife and husband.
Research Recommendations
From the result, two recommendations are suggested. Firstly, the Purbalingga regency
should gather the family planning extension program of each department in one integrated
program by optimazing the available social gathering foth for wifes and husbands.
Secondly, the company where the wives work shold provides an access to government
extension agent to give information related to family program.

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