A mosaic of identities, opportunities, and challenges: How intersectionality shapes the experiences of female water, sanitation, and hygiene entrepreneurs in Indonesia

Abstract

Many intersecting factors influence the identity, motivations, and experiences of women entrepreneurs. This paper explores the experiences of female water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) entrepreneurs in the context of the region of Nusa Tenggara in Eastern Indonesia. We conducted in-depth interviews with a diverse set of female WASH entrepreneurs, and applied intersectionality concepts in combination with the Gender at Work analytical framework [Rao et al., 2016. Gender at work: Theory and practice for 21st century organizations. Routledge] to analyze and present qualitative data. This approach and combined framing helped to unpack the varied identities and characteristics such as occupation, educational background, disability, social position, religion, age, economic status, and ethnicity that shape their experiences within societal structures including ableism, patriarchy, and social class. The findings demonstrate how all these aspects influence individual consciousness and capabilities, help to navigate, and challenge structural social norms that transcend ethnicity and religion, and build social networks, to support entrepreneurial activity and facilitate access to resources. This study has implications for development practitioners who can strengthen consideration of these complexities while designing training programs for private and public sector workforces with responsibility for WASH service delivery.