Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Peran perempuan dalam pengelolaan hutan adat dan pemberdayaan masyarakat masih sangat terbatas karena pengelolaan hutan adat dianggap ranah laki-laki, meskipun mulai ada peningkatan partisipasi perempuan dalam pengelolaan hutan adat. Hal ini dipengaruhi oleh norma budaya dan minimnya dukungan dari masyarakat dan pemerintah desa. Dalam hutan adat di Mukim Paloh, keterlibatan perempuan berada dibawah naungan Komunitas Usaha Perhutanan Sosial (KUPS). KUPS baru dibentuk dan dilibatkan dalam proses pengelolaan hutan adat, mulai dari pemberdayaan masyarakat yang berfokus pada 3 dimensi, yaitu sosial, ekologi dan ekonomi. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif dengan analisis tematik. Sampel penelitian ini berjumlah 35 responden, terdiri dari 15 perempuan ,12 perangkat desa dan 8 tokoh adat, yang dipilih melalui metode purposive sampling dan sensus. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara, kuesioner, observasi dan dokumentasi.
Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa perempuan di Mukim Paloh masih berada dalam kategori “tidak aktif” dalam pengelolaan hutan adat. Sebanyak 40% perempuan tergolong “tidak aktif” dalam pengelolaan hutan. Masih terdapat hambatan berupa keterbatasan informasi dan norma budaya yang membatasi perempuan dalam berpartisipasi. Dalam pemberdayaan masyarakat, 54% perempuan termasuk kategori “cukup aktif”, meski sebagian masih terkendala peran domestik dan kurangnya dukungan sosial. Dari dimensi sosial, kategori dengan persentase tertinggi yaitu 33% “tidak aktif”. Pada dimensi ekonomi mereka turut meningkatkan kesejahteraan keluarga melalui usaha berbasis hutan, akan tetapi persentase tertinggi yaitu 46% “tidak aktif”. Pada dimensi ekologi, meskipun perempuan memiliki pemahaman ekologis yang sudah diturunkan turun temurun, akan tetapi keterlibatan perempuan masih di kategori “tidak aktif” dengan persentase 46%. Adanya lembaga KUPS, kesadaran kolektif, serta pengetahuan lokal menjadi faktor pendorong dari keterlibatan perempuan di Mukim Paloh. Norma budaya adat, sistem patriarki, minimnya dukungan dari pemerintah desa, serta beban domestik menjadi faktor penghambat dari keterlibatan perempuan dalam pengelolaan hutan adat.

The role of women in the management of customary forests and community empowerment remains very limited because customary forest management is considered a male domain, although there has been a gradual increase in women’s participation. This condition is influenced by cultural norms and the lack of support from the community and village government. In the customary forest of Mukim Paloh, women’s involvement takes place under the auspices of the Social Forestry Business Group (Kelompok Usaha Perhutanan Sosial/KUPS). KUPS has only recently been established and involved in the customary forest management process, starting from community empowerment that focuses on three dimensions: social, ecological, and economic. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with thematic analysis. The research sample consists of 35 respondents, comprising 15 women, 12 village officials, and 8 customary leaders, selected through purposive sampling and a census method. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, observation, and documentation. The results of the study indicate that women in Mukim Paloh are still categorized as “inactive” in customary forest management. As many as 40% of women are classified as “inactive” in forest management. There are still obstacles in the form of limited access to information and cultural norms that restrict women’s participation. In terms of community empowerment, 54% of women fall into the “moderately active” category, although some are still constrained by domestic roles and a lack of social support. In the social dimension, the category with the highest percentage is “inactive” at 33%. In the economic dimension, women contribute to improving household welfare through forest-based enterprises; however, the highest percentage remains in the “inactive” category at 46%. In the ecological dimension, although women possess ecological knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation, their involvement is still categorized as “inactive,” with a percentage of 46%. The existence of KUPS institutions, collective awareness, and local knowledge are driving factors for women’s involvement in Mukim Paloh. Meanwhile, customary cultural norms, patriarchal systems, minimal support from the village government, and domestic burdens are inhibiting factors for women’s participation in customary forest management.