Urban Kampung as a space of opportunities: Women's strategies to make a living in high-density informal settlements

Abstract

Women who reside in high-density informal settlements contribute significantly to community livelihood, as proportionately they spend more time in the area than other members of their community. As they assume multiple roles and responsibilities, they rely on the flexibility of space in their dense settlement to complete their various tasks. This study focuses primarily on the spaces that enable women to earn income for the household without disregarding their domestic responsibilities and social needs. This study examines the relationship between human and space by observing homemakers in one of Jakarta's densely populated informal settlements, KampungCikini. The methodology incorporated in-depth interviews and field observations of their living and income-generating spaces. The study concludes that for homemakers, a high-density settlement is not a confinement but as a space of opportunities, mainly economic. The women that participated in this study employ spatial strategies to incorporate income-generating activities with their domestic and social life. The study emphasises the relationship between women and their settlement, with the view to influence the future development of informal settlements more inclusive for the needs of women.