Women’s Contribution and Role in Improving The Economy of Coastal Families: a Literature Review

Abstract

Fisherwomen play a strategic role in supporting the family economy and the social sustainability of coastal communities. Although the fisheries sector is often considered a male domain, various studies show that women play a significant role in domestic, productive, and social activities. This study aims to analyze the contribution of fisherwomen to family income and the socioeconomic factors that influence it. The method used was a literature review by reviewing scientific journals, policy reports, and official publications for the 2020–2025 period obtained through Google Scholar and government sources. The results of the study indicate that coastal women play a triple role: productive, reproductive, and social. In the productive role, women are involved in seafood processing, fish marketing, home businesses, and coastal resource-based economic activities, which in some cases can increase family income by 30–40%. In the reproductive role, they are responsible for household management, childcare, and meeting the family's nutritional needs. In the social sphere, women play an active role in community activities such as cooperatives, religious study groups, and local organizations, which strengthen social cohesion and their position in society. Education and income have been shown to be key determinants of the socioeconomic conditions of fishing families. Poor access to education, limited school infrastructure, and economic burdens contribute to low educational participation rates among coastal children. Meanwhile, women's income contributions vary, ranging from insignificant to 42%–115% of total family income, depending on the type of employment and access to capital, information, and technology.