Gendered Leadership in the Acehnese Context: An Exploration of Governance and Customary Representation

Abstract

Women’s leadership in Aceh is shaped by the complex interaction between Islamic Sharia, Acehnese customary law (adat), and modern governance structures. Despite a historical legacy of female leadership, women’s participation in contemporary public spheres remains limited, particularly within customary and religious institutions. This study examines how these three normative frameworks shape the opportunities, constraints, and patterns of legitimacy surrounding women’s leadership in Aceh. Employing a qualitative approach with an intrinsic case study design, data were collected through in-depth interviews and analysis of policy documents and relevant literature. The findings indicate that the legitimacy of women’s leadership is more strongly determined by social capital, kinship networks, and religious affiliations than by formal technocratic competence, with clear differences in acceptance between urban and rural contexts. This study underscores that women’s representation should not be understood merely in terms of numerical inclusion, but rather as substantive agency within customary, community, and non-state spaces. Therefore, strengthening women’s leadership in Aceh requires an integrative approach that combines affirmative policies, the reformulation of inclusive normative narratives, and the empowerment of alternative spaces for women.