<![CDATA[Women remain on the margins of public decision-making, especially in development planning and budgeting forums where their voices and interests are ignored. An equitable development, however, requires the active participation of marginalized groups, including poor women, female heads of households, survivors of violence, ethnic minorities, indigenous women, those in remote or disaster-affected areas, gender minorities and individuals with disabilities. These groups face systemic barriers to participation, as men are often perceived to represent the collective voice of their communities. Therefore, women’s leadership needs to be established. To overcome this marginalization, women’s leadership must be actively developed. Based on KAPAL Perempuan’s experience in empowering women through Sekolah Perempuan, this paper explores how grassroots organizing and critical education-with the approach of the Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) framework-enhances women’s agency, critical consciousness, and leadership. Data collection for this paper utilized interview methodology and literature review. By developing a GEDSI perspective, marginalized women can influence public policies to become more gender equitable and inclusive, ultimately bridging the gap in their participation in development planning and decision-making. Recommendations include integrating the GEDSI approach in local development policies and supporting capacity building for women’s participation and community-based empowerment to reach more marginalized groups.]]>
