Representation and Substance
A Critical Analysis of Women’s Involvement in the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Parliament
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63892/aletheia.3.2026.1-13Keywords:
Gender Inequality, Women’s Representation, Local Parliament, Gender Politics, West Nusa TenggaraAbstract
This study is motivated by the gender development paradox in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province, where improvements in gender equality indicators—particularly the Gender Inequality Index (GII)—have not been followed by increased women’s representation in local parliaments. The research problem lies in the conversion gap between gender development achievements and women’s electoral political representation. The research gap emerges as prior studies largely focus on national and pre-electoral dynamics and rarely integrate macro gender development indicators with local legislative representation. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of GII development and trends in women’s representation in district and municipal parliaments in NTB during 2019–2023, while identifying disparities and structural political opportunity patterns. The theoretical framework integrates political representation theory (descriptive–substantive), parliament as a gendered workplace, political recruitment theory, and the gender and development perspective. A descriptive quantitative approach was employed using secondary data from the Statistics Bureau and legislative composition records. Analytical techniques include descriptive-comparative statistics, longitudinal tabulation, and Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) measurement. Findings reveal that NTB’s GII improved aggregately but unevenly, with the most progressive decline in Sumbawa, while several regions stagnated or worsened. In contrast, women’s legislative representation remained largely stagnant. The synthesis highlights a disparity between development and representation conversion mediated by party structures, patriarchal culture, political patronage, and institutional parliamentary barriers. The study concludes that gender equality in NTB remains at the stage of developmental equality and has not yet reached political equality. Limitations include reliance on secondary quantitative data and the absence of substantive representation measurement. Recommendations emphasize party recruitment reform, strategic electoral affirmative action, strengthening women’s political cadreization, and integrating social empowerment with institutional political transformation.
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