IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v9y2025issue-5p930-940.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Developing a Women Empowerment Fisheries Index (WEFI): An Exploratory Research in the Context of Sarawak, Malaysia

Author

Listed:
  • Wen Chiat Lee

    (Faculty of Business and Management, University Technology MARA Cawangan Sarawak, Kampus Samarahan, Jalan Meranek, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak)

  • Leviana Andrew

    (Faculty of Business and Management, University Technology MARA Cawangan Sarawak, Kampus Samarahan, Jalan Meranek, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak)

  • Pressca Neging

    (Faculty of Business and Management, university Technology MARA Cawangan Sarawak, Kampus Mukah, K.M 7.5 Jalan Oya 96400 Mukah, Sarawak)

Abstract

Malaysia’s fisheries sector plays a vital economic and social role, yet the contributions of women remain underrepresented in policy and development efforts. Despite women’s active involvement across the fisheries value chain—from aquaculture and processing to marketing and community leadership—gender disparities persist. The Women’s Empowerment in Fisheries Index (WEFI), adapted from the globally recognized Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI), offers a robust tool to measure empowerment across five key domains: access to resources, decision-making power, control over income, time allocation, and leadership. However, WEFI has not yet been formally applied in the Malaysian context. This study aims to develop and validate a localized WEFI framework tailored to Sarawak, Malaysia’s largest state with significant fisheries activity. A quantitative cross-sectional survey will be conducted using structured interviews with women engaged in various fisheries-related roles. The study employs exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to test the index’s structure, ensuring its cultural and sectoral relevance. The findings will offer empirical insights into empowerment gaps and inform gender-sensitive fisheries policies. By contextualizing WEFI within Malaysia’s socio-economic landscape, this research contributes to sustainable fisheries governance, gender equity, and broader development goals aligned with SDGs 5 and 14.

Suggested Citation

  • Wen Chiat Lee & Leviana Andrew & Pressca Neging, 2025. "Developing a Women Empowerment Fisheries Index (WEFI): An Exploratory Research in the Context of Sarawak, Malaysia," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(5), pages 930-940, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-5:p:930-940
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-9-issue-5/930-940.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/developing-a-women-empowerment-fisheries-index-wefi-an-exploratory-research-in-the-context-of-sarawak-malaysia/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bennett, Elizabeth, 2005. "Gender, fisheries and development," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 451-459, September.
    2. Md. Wakilur Rahman & A. B. M. Mahfuzul Haque & Tasnuva Zaman & Md. Salauddin Palash & Md. Nahiduzzaman & Tanzina Nazia, 2024. "Women Empowerment Status in the Coastal Fishing Communities of Bangladesh," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, May.
    3. Rahma I Adam & Surendran Rajaratnam & Farha Deba Sufian & Lucy Njogu, 2025. "Measuring women’s empowerment in aquaculture in northwestern Bangladesh using a project level women’s empowerment in fisheries index (pro-WEFI)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, January.
    4. Zhao, Minghua & Tyzack, Marilyn & Anderson, Rodney & Onoakpovike, Estera, 2013. "Women as visible and invisible workers in fisheries: A case study of Northern England," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 69-76.
    5. Harper, Sarah & Zeller, Dirk & Hauzer, Melissa & Pauly, Daniel & Sumaila, Ussif Rashid, 2013. "Women and fisheries: Contribution to food security and local economies," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 56-63.
    6. Ragsdale, Kathleen & Read-Wahidi, Mary & Marinda, Pamela & Pincus, Lauren & Torell, Elin & Kolbila, Robert, 2022. "Adapting the WEAI to explore gender equity among Fishers, Processors, and sellers at Zambia’s Lake Bangweulu," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Freitas, Carolina T. & Espírito-Santo, Helder M.V. & Campos-Silva, João Vitor & Peres, Carlos A. & Lopes, Priscila F.M., 2020. "Resource co-management as a step towards gender equity in fisheries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Ram-Bidesi, Vina, 2015. "Recognizing the role of women in supporting marine stewardship in the Pacific Islands," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1-8.
    3. Angelos Liontakis & Irene Tzouramani & Stamatis Mantziaris & Alexandra Sintori, 2020. "Unravelling the Role of Gender in Fisheries’ Socio-Economic Performance: The Case of Greek Small-Scale Fisheries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-13, June.
    4. Emily Aparecida Ferreira Brandão & Thiago da Rocha Santos & Stephan Rist, 2020. "Connecting Public Policies for Family Farmers and Women’s Empowerment: The Case of the Brazilian Semi-Arid," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-22, July.
    5. Gianelli, Ignacio & Martínez, Gastón & Defeo, Omar, 2015. "An ecosystem approach to small-scale co-managed fisheries: The yellow clam fishery in Uruguay," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 196-202.
    6. Ashley Peiffer & Michael Harte, 2023. "Development from a distance: Exploring an international non‐profit's interactions with communities during the COVID‐19 pandemic," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(6), pages 979-994, August.
    7. Barbara Quimby & Arielle Levine, 2018. "Participation, Power, and Equity: Examining Three Key Social Dimensions of Fisheries Comanagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-20, September.
    8. Leah Salm & Nicholas Nisbett & Laura Cramer & Stuart Gillespie & Philip Thornton, 2021. "How climate change interacts with inequity to affect nutrition," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(2), March.
    9. Béné, Christophe & Merten, Sonja, 2008. "Women and Fish-for-Sex: Transactional Sex, HIV/AIDS and Gender in African Fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 875-899, May.
    10. Sara Apresentação & Mafalda Rangel & Assunção Cristas, 2024. "Towards Sustainability: A Framework for Evaluating Portuguese Small-Scale Fisheries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-14, April.
    11. Constanza Gonzalez Parrao & Marta Moratti & Shannon Shisler & Birte Snilstveit & John Eyers, 2021. "PROTOCOL: Aquaculture for improving productivity, income, nutrition and women's empowerment in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review and meta‐analysis," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(3), September.
    12. Agata Nicolosi & Donatella Di Gregorio & Giuseppe Arena & Valentina Rosa Laganà & Donatella Privitera, 2021. "Small-Scale Coastal Fisheries in the Midst of Adaptation and Diversification: Insights from Southern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-27, July.
    13. Novak Colwell, Julia M. & Axelrod, Mark & Salim, Shyam S. & Velvizhi, S., 2017. "A Gendered Analysis of Fisherfolk’s Livelihood Adaptation and Coping Responses in the Face of a Seasonal Fishing Ban in Tamil Nadu & Puducherry, India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 325-337.
    14. Georgina Yaa Oduro & Rosabelle Boswell & David Wilson & John Windie Ansah, 2024. "Gendering Ocean Management for Sustainable Ocean Care in Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-19, October.
    15. repec:osf:socarx:2g7vb_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Santos, Anna N., 2015. "Fisheries as a way of life: Gendered livelihoods, identities and perspectives of artisanal fisheries in eastern Brazil," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 279-288.
    17. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi & Simplice A. Asongu, 2020. "Women’s Participation in the Offshore and Inshore Fisheries Entrepreneurship: the Role of CSR in Nigeria’s Oil Coastal Communities," Working Papers 20/012, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    18. Short, Rebecca Ellen & Addison, Prue & Hill, Nicholas & Arlidge, William & Berthe, Sara & Castello y Tickell, Sofia & Coulthard, Sarah & Lorenz, Lena & Sibanda, Mxolisi & Milner-Gulland, E.J., 2019. "Achieving net benefits: A road map for cross-sectoral policy development in response to the unintended use of mosquito nets as fishing gear," SocArXiv 2g7vb, Center for Open Science.
    19. A. Allan Degen & Jan Hoorweg & Barasa C.C. Wangila, 2010. "Fish traders in artisanal fisheries on the Kenyan coast," Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 4(4), pages 296-311, October.
    20. Dimitris Tsafoutis & Theodore Metaxas, 2021. "Fishing Tourism in Greece: Defining Possibilities and Prospects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-20, December.
    21. Tung Thanh Le & Son Van Phan & Duong Thanh Nguyen & Huong Thi Hoang & Lam Trong Vu & Tuan Anh Le & Tuyet Thi Nguyen, 2023. "Ethnic minority women’s empowerment in agriculture in the central region of Viet Nam," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(8), pages 1-15, August.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-5:p:930-940. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.