Community-Based Digital Empowerment of Rural Women in Sidenreng Rappang: Integritas Local Wisdom and Institutiona; Support for Sustainable MSMEs

The empowerment of rural women through community-based digitalization has emerged as a crucial agenda in the context of inclusive and sustainable development. Despite its potential to enhance womenÂ’s participation in entrepreneurship and village governance, empowerment efforts are often constrained by structural barriers, patriarchal norms, and a persistent digital divide. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of rural womenÂ’s empowerment by integrating community participation, digital literacy, and local wisdom into a single framework. Employing a qualitative approach, the research combines phenomenological and ethnographic methods through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participatory observation. Additional data were obtained from policy documents, community actors, and media sources. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 Plus through thematic coding and network analysis to map actors, relationships, and supporting factors. The findings reveal that rural womenÂ’s micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) are embedded within a collaborative ecosystem shaped by local wisdom, community participation, and governmental support. Local wisdom plays a central role in sustaining cultural identity and product innovation, while empowerment initiatives strengthen financial literacy and market access. Digitalization, although still limited, emerges as a catalyst for expanding entrepreneurial opportunities and strengthening community-based collaboration. Network analysis highlights the indirect but significant role of local governments and communities in reinforcing empowerment and digital adoption among women entrepreneurs. This study concludes that integrating community-based empowerment with digitalization and local cultural resources fosters an inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable development model. The research contributes to the discourse on gender and digital transformation by demonstrating how empowerment strategies can simultaneously address socio-cultural constraints, economic marginalization, and technological disparities in rural contexts.