Community Participation in the Empowerment of Slum Settlement Areas in Banjarmasin City

Aulia Puspitasari (Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat)
Ellyn Normelani (Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat)

Diplomasi : Jurnal Demokrasi, Pemerintahan dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat
Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026)

Community participation is recognized as one of the fundamental components of sustainable slum settlement management. While numerous government programs have focused on improving physical infrastructure, long-term success depends largely on the active involvement of local communities in maintaining environmental quality. This study aims to analyze the level of community participation in the empowerment of slum settlement areas in Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. A descriptive quantitative approach was employed involving 200 respondents selected through disproportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires, field observations, documentation, and literature review. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied to evaluate five indicators of community participation, including participation in community service activities, environmental cleanliness, environmental improvement initiatives, environmental awareness, and maintenance of public facilities. The findings reveal that community participation is generally categorized as good. Residents actively engage in environmental activities, demonstrate strong awareness of environmental cleanliness, participate in neighborhood improvement programs, and contribute to maintaining public facilities. These findings indicate that community participation functions as an important form of social capital supporting sustainable slum settlement management. Strengthening participatory approaches should therefore become an integral component of future urban settlement policies.