A community service group from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY), KKNM-27533 from the Sociology Education Study Programme, carried out inclusive political education (GEDSI-perspective: Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion) for 25 PKK (Family Welfare Empowerment) mothers from RT 1, 2 and 3 in Dusun Dukuh, Madurejo Village, Prambanan Sub-district, Sleman Regency.

This initiative emerged from field observations indicating persistent marginalisation of women and vulnerable groups—such as low-income residents, the elderly, and persons with disabilities—in everyday political participation at the neighbourhood (RT) and hamlet (dusun) level. By working with the PKK, the team targeted strategic household actors to pass knowledge on to families and community forums.

Training material included an introduction to “what is politics” (beyond electoral issues), concepts of gender and role expectations, disability and inclusion issues, as well as citizens’ rights and obligations. All topics were structured to be relevant to community practice—from domestic work distribution to participation in neighbourhood deliberations.

“We heard directly from a participant who, after participating in the session, wanted to invite her husband to share tasks like sweeping and doing the dishes because she now understood that domestic labour distribution is related to gender roles, not biological destiny,” said Mohammad Effendi, facilitator and resource person from the UNY KKN team. To measure the training’s outcomes, organisers conducted brief pre- and post-tests. The average score increased from 10.76 to 11.52 out of a total of 15 points — an increase of approximately 7.1%. Though preliminary, these findings indicate improved literacy on citizen participation and inclusion among participants.

In the context of village governance in Indonesia, deliberations at the dusun and RT levels are key pillars for deciding social programmes. PKK, as a women’s network close to household and community dynamics, plays a key role in bridging policy with field practice. The GEDSI framework helps ensure that community policies and initiatives account for gender equality, accessibility for persons with disabilities, and involvement of those at risk of being marginalised.

This programme is part of UNY’s KKN which links campus learning with community service. The KKNM-27533 UNY group emphasised that politics is not only about elections, but daily decisions in households and communities that ideally favour equality and inclusion.