Gender Analysis on the Behavior and Profiles of Elderly Women in Using Social Media to Support Development Policies: A Research on Taklim Council Purwokerto Community

Abstract

The quality of human resources (HR) among elderly women often leads to limited economic potential. However, the access to social media of elderly women as well as information and communication technology (ICT) is relatively high. These women face a rapidly developing environment that requires proficiency in ICT. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze gender behavior in using social media and ICT among elderly women in the Taklim Council Purwokerto community. A descriptive quantitative analysis was adopted by using secondary data collection. The primary focus of the research was on elderly women over 60 years old within the community. These individuals were selected through purposive sampling due to the active use of ICT, both among members and officials. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FDGs), and secondary sources, which were further analyzed using interaction analysis. The results showed that elderly women in the Takwim Council exhibited a high level of engagement with social media and ICT. This included extensive use of mobile phones, laptops, and the Internet, despite generally low socio-economic conditions with mobile phone usage being particularly prominent among these women. However, there was a significant gender gap in ICT access between elderly men and women which was a divergence from the more balanced gender gap observed in the general (non-elderly) population. This correlated with Setiansah’s (2018) publication that Internet usage among men and women in the non-elderly population was relatively equal. Furthermore, the high level of ICT usage among elderly women in the Takwim Council supported the development positively.