Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Adat dalam Pengambilan Keputusan Pembangunan Lokal di Kabupaten

Abstract

Indigenous communities in Merauke Regency hold a central role in the region’s social and cultural structure. However, their involvement in local development decision-making remains limited. This community service initiative aimed to empower indigenous populations to engage more actively and meaningfully in village- and district-level development planning and implementation. A participatory, community-based approach was adopted, emphasizing collaboration among indigenous residents, traditional leaders, village officials, and relevant stakeholders. The program was carried out in four main stages: social mapping, legal rights training and education, development planning simulations, and participatory evaluation. Results indicated a significant improvement in community members’ understanding of formal decision-making mechanisms, particularly regarding their rights within village deliberation forums. Many communities also initiated the formation of internal forums to coordinate collective input prior to participating in formal village meetings. Challenges encountered included limited access to information, resistance from some local authorities, and traditional hierarchies that often exclude vulnerable groups such as women and youth. Nevertheless, culturally sensitive facilitation succeeded in creating constructive dialogue spaces. This initiative demonstrates that participatory empowerment of indigenous communities can be an effective strategy for promoting inclusive, just, and sustainable local development. The findings underscore the importance of continuous capacity-building and the need for policy reform to ensure genuine participation at the grassroots level.

Keywords: indigenous communities, participation, local development, empowerment, Merauke, village deliberation