The role of women's organisations in raising awareness of human rights for women in rural communities

The violation of human rights, especially for women, remains to this day in Indonesia. The violation case of women rights also occurs in rural areas. This study aims to examine the role of women organisations to raise awareness of women rights in the rural community. Moreover, this article reveals the types of women organisations and their activities, focusing on its consciousness of building women rights. This study conducted in villages in East Nusa Tenggara Province of East Flores Region, Larantuka and Adonara. The subjects of this study were women who are members and leaders of women organisations. Data collection techniques applied in this study was a deep interview technique within ten informants and interviews using questionnaires on 200 respondents who have been purposely selected. This study found that some activities of women organisations in rural areas focusing on the consciousness-raising of women rights. The types of organisations consist of informal organisations to the formal organisation, from local village organisations to national level branch organisations. Women organisations in rural communities are the only organisations which concern women justice issues. This study found the critical role of women organisations in rural areas to raise consciousness and awareness of the members on women rights and to struggle for gender justice.