Zakat as a Catalyst for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Post-Crisis Contexts

Abstract

Purpose

The aims of this study are to identify the types of zakat interventions in women’s empowerment and to identify the success factors of women’s empowerment programs.

Design/Methodology/Approach

This study uses a qualitative approach and a literature review. Data sources were obtained from zakat institution reports and scientific articles on zakat, gender equality and women’s empowerment..

Findings

Zakat can be a strategic instrument for strengthening women in post-crisis through productive programs in micro-enterprises such as agriculture, culinary, food stalls and creative industries. The success of women’s empowerment by zakat institutions needs to be supported by training, mentoring, access to marketing network, guidance, spiritual strengthening, the use of digital technology and multi-stake holder collaboration. Integrating the values of zakat and the principle of gender equality makes zakat not only a philanthropic instrument but also a catalyst for social change toward fir and sustainable post-crisis development.

Research limitations/implications

Thus study does not involve the collection of primary data from beneficiaries or zakat program implementers. It also does not conduct a quantitative analysis to measure the economic impact on beneficiaries. The study has not yet conducted an in-depth analysis of program failures or the factors that hinder program sustainability, as well as the structural challenges and cultural barriers encountered in program implementation.

Practical implications

The findings of this study have implications for zakat institutions to integrate a gender perspective into

the design and implementation of empowerment programs. Zakat institutions need to develop holistic program models that not only provide business capital but also skills training, business mentoring, spiritual guidance, and leverage digital technology to facilitate women’s access to online marketing platforms. The government can facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration among zakat institutions, civil society organizations, the private sector, and educational institutions to create a sustainable empowerment ecosystem. Social implications. Thus study has social implications for gender equality, suggesting that zakat can be an important instrument in addressing gender disparities by economically empowering women, which well enhance their position and role in decision-making within families and society. Zakat-based women’s empowerment programs change societal perceptions of women from merely being aid recipients to becoming agents of economic change. Utilizing zakat in empowering women especially single mothers and female heads of households, can reduce chronic poverty and build interest-free businesses.The integration of Islamic spiritual values in empowerment programs strengthens women’s social and psychological resilience, particularly in facing the complexities of life after a crisis.

Originality/value

This study has conceptual novelty in that it integrates three perspectives that are rarely combined comprehensively: zakat, gender equality and post-crisis recovery. The study develops a conceptual framework that positions zakat not only as philanthropic instrument but also as a catalyst for social transformation towards gender-just and sustainable development. This study enriches the academic discussion on gender-responsive zakat by providing best practices from various zakat institutions in Indonesia. The uniqueness of this study lies in its holistic approach, which considers not only the economic dimension but also the spiritual, social and moral aspects of women’s empowerment. The integration of zakat with the global development agenda (SDGs) demonstrates that zakat can contribute to SDG-5 (gender equality) without losing its Islamic identity.