Small island women in the sustainability of household livelihoods: Case study in Romang Island, Southwest Maluku Regency

Abstract

Women play important role in fulfilling household needs. Apart from carrying out domestic activities, women are also active in public activities as an effort to maintain the sustainability of household livelihoods. This research is aimed to analyze the position of women in the sustainability of household livelihoods. Qualitative approach was used where data were collected with in-depth interview. Informants were selected using snowball method, and eight women were obtained. Result of research showed that women start to enter public world and seem capable to cope with public complexities. Public world is a place where work orientation is shifting from subsistence to commercial. Work commercialization requires women to do more varying activities including selling production outputs. Women must wander through villages or village markets in order to get a good sale. Although the activities are varying with livelihoods sources, but those represent the effort to maintain the sustainability of household livelihoods.