By: Haryanto, KKI Warsi
Amidst the growing development momentum, three villages in Pamenang District—Rejosari Village, Pelakar Jaya Village, and Pauh Menang Village—have shown concrete steps towards inclusive village governance. Through the assistance of the Estungkara Program implemented by KKI WARSI, the three villages have pioneered the preparation of Village Regulation Drafts (Ranperdes) that specifically accommodate the participation of vulnerable groups in the planning and implementation of village development.
Vulnerable groups such as poor women, people with disabilities, the elderly, and indigenous communities such as the Orang Rimba, have often been marginalized from the decision-making process at the village level. The lack of participatory space means that their needs and aspirations are rarely heard, let alone prioritized in development policies. Realizing this, the Estungkara Program is here to encourage the creation of fair and inclusive policies at the village level.
Change does not happen instantly. In the villages assisted by Estungkara, the process towards inclusivity begins with building awareness and strengthening the capacity of village officials. A series of training and mentoring were carried out, with the aim of equipping village governments to be able to draft regulations that are not only administrative in nature, but also reflect the aspirations of all levels of society.
This approach is not just a formality. It is a strategic step to ensure that the voices of vulnerable groups—who have so far been on the fringes—can help determine the direction of village development. As a result, of the six villages that participated in the training, three villages immediately followed up by drafting a Village Regulation Draft on the participation of vulnerable groups. The three villages are Pauh Menang Village, Pelakar Jaya Village, and Rejosari Village.
The commitment was then followed up through the process of drafting the Village Regulation Draft facilitated by KKI WARSI, up to the stage of implementing public consultation. This forum is an important space for vulnerable groups to directly convey their experiences, challenges, and needs to the village government and community leaders.
In the ongoing discussion, poor women shared stories about the difficulties in accessing empowerment programs. People with disabilities voiced the obstacles they face in accessing village infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Orang Rimba indigenous community revealed how their rights are often ignored in development policies. All of these inputs became the main ingredients in perfecting the draft Village Regulation so that it truly sides with those who need it most.
The drafting of the Draft Village Regulation on Vulnerable Group Participation by Rejosari, Pelakar Jaya, and Pauh Menang Villages is an initial milestone towards greater change. This document is not only a legal umbrella, but also a symbol of the village's commitment to building fair and socially just governance.
With this Village Regulation, vulnerable groups now have legitimacy and clearer space to be involved in the development process. For indigenous communities such as the Orang Rimba, this means that they are no longer just objects of development, but active subjects who determine the future direction of their community.
This transformation is also expected to inspire other villages to adopt a similar approach. Collaboration between village governments, community leaders, and vulnerable groups has proven to not only strengthen the effectiveness of the program, but also build a sense of togetherness and deepen the meaning of social justice in community life.
The journey towards an inclusive village is certainly still long. Continuous synergy is needed between the village government, the community, and supporting partners so that this Village Regulation does not stop at the document level, but is actually implemented in daily development practices.
But one thing is for sure: change has begun. When all voices are heard and accommodated, village development becomes not only more equitable, but also more meaningful—for all, without exception.
