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

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.