Gendered work and power relations in Indonesian NGO:s : A qualitative study from two organizations in Java

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and analyze power relations between Muslim female and male employees, active in working together with gender issues in two Indonesian non governmental organizations in Java. The study analyzes power relations and gendered work among female and male employees in the daily work and aims to give a picture on both female and male experiences from working together with gender issues and feminism. The study found that both NGO:s are aware of power relations among the female and male employees and are working actively to avoid separating women and men in doing different tasks and having different positions, although the study shows that a majority of the male employees had higher positions than women in both of the NGO:s. The thesis is a qualitative study of two different NGO:s in Indonesia, both promoting an Islamic view on gender and feminism, and analyzed using Joan Acker´s theory on organizational structure and gendered work, as well as Raewyn Connells theory on masculinities. The study is based on eight qualitative semi-structured interviews with Indonesian female and male employees as well as participant observations in the daily work at the organizations.