Subsistence Economy and The Papua Women Trader Marginalization in The Indonesia-Papua New Guinea Border Trade Region

Abstract

This study is an analysis about the strategy of governments economic empowerment for Papuans women traders in the district of Muara Tami, located at the border between the West Papua Province and Papua New Guienea. In addition to the problems of low infrastructure development for women traders in border areas, this study found a more complex reality faced by the Papuan women traders that hindered their economic improvement, the competition between the migrant groups who dominated the economic development in their area. By employing a qualitative methods through observation, interviews, and literature study from secondary materials in the field, this study argues that the empowerment agenda for Papuan women traders needs more concerted efforts of affirmative and inclusive policies to protect the economic position of Papuan women traders, rather than a traditional approach of knowledge transfer and skill building alone. This study shows that affirmative and inclusive policies is an important and necessary part of empowerment agenda for Papuan women traders.

From saving to survivance: Rethinking Indigenous Papuan women's vulnerabilities in Jayapura, Indonesia

“…These strategies tend to be overly hopeful about the effect that technical and infrastructural improvements may have on gender inequality (Underhill‐Sem et al ., 2014). In the Papuan context, women market sellers argue that they are ignored in the planning of such endeavours, while Papuan researchers have argued current policies are doing little to address structural discrimination that favours non‐Papuan economic interests (Wambrauw, 2013; Chotim, 2019; Rumkabu, 2019; Wayap, 2021). Moreover, attempts to improve women's circumstances recapitulate the colonial assumption that Papuans must learn from Indonesians.…”

“…However, it was particularly her gardening and trading skills, her sense of adventure and the relationships she built that helped her survive. Since 2017, the border area has been targeted for development to symbolise Indonesian dominion over the borderlands and to provide opportunities for non‐Papuans to expand their economic activities (Chotim, 2019; BBC News Indonesia, 2020), while Papuans like Beatrix are largely excluded from this endeavour.…”