Empowering indigenous women through craft: Capabilities, livelihoods, and structural constraints among Iban artisans in Sarawak

Abstract

Background: This study examines how handicraft production contributes to the empowerment of Iban women in Sarawak, focusing on the social, economic, and cultural roles craft work plays in their daily lives. Grounded in Sen’s development-as-freedom framework, it investigates how participation in traditional craft activities supports women’s livelihoods, skills, and community participation while sustaining local knowledge, interpreting empowerment as the expansion of real capabilities rather than mere resource provision.
Methods: Using a qualitative ethnographic design, data were collected through participant observation and 19 semi-structured interviews with Iban women artisans and relevant stakeholders selected via non-probability snowball sampling. The data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis to capture both lived experiences and structural conditions.
Results: The findings indicate that handicraft production strengthens women’s livelihoods by providing income, enhancing skills, and supporting family welfare. However, empowerment is significantly constrained by structural barriers, including raw material scarcity, weak market access, inadequate business training, geographic isolation, poor internet connectivity, and declining interest among younger generations.
Conclusion: The study concludes that handicraft-based empowerment initiatives are most effective when aligned with artisans' practical needs, particularly regarding business training, product promotion, market access, and entrepreneurial support