"I am Too Old! Who is Going to Give Me a Job?" Women Hawkers in Teluk Bahang, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract

The informal economy is of massive importance to women workers in the Southeast Asian region. This article explores women's informal work as hawkers in the village of Teluk Bahang in the State of Penang in northern Malaysia. Focusing on women's right to work and their rights at work, the article engages in an analysis of women's labor market experiences and decisions during different periods in their lives as well as an analysis of the gendered outcome of contemporary hawker policies. Spatial aspects are central to this analysis, and it is argued that hawking represents not only an important informal economic activity for women but also a way for them to gain extended access to public places of work.

Islamic Financial Wealth Management: Empowering Women in Islamic Societies

“…Similar to women in western countries, Malaysian women do not perceive equal opportunities for career advancement (Abdullah et al, 2008) and they believe that they need to work harder than men for recognition and rewards (Koshal et al, 1998). Moreover, there is a general conception that Malaysian women have difficulty re-entering the workforce after childbirth (Franck, 2010). Factors influencing the working patterns of women vary, which include the family situation in terms of the number and age of children (Franck, 2010), spouse support (Abdullah et al, 2008), availability of childcare facility (Berger and Denton, 2004;Abdullah et al, 2008), support from in-laws (Abdullah et al, 2008) and, most importantly, income level (Lagesen, 2008).…”

“…Moreover, there is a general conception that Malaysian women have difficulty re-entering the workforce after childbirth (Franck, 2010). Factors influencing the working patterns of women vary, which include the family situation in terms of the number and age of children (Franck, 2010), spouse support (Abdullah et al, 2008), availability of childcare facility (Berger and Denton, 2004;Abdullah et al, 2008), support from in-laws (Abdullah et al, 2008) and, most importantly, income level (Lagesen, 2008). Additionally, some Malaysian women face difficulty from having to provide financial support for elderly parents and younger siblings (Lagesen, 2008;Mellström, 2009).…”

Factors motivating women's informal micro‐entrepreneurship

“…Hawking constitutes the bulk of informal employment in Malaysia (Agus, 1987; Hassan, 2003; SERI, 2010) and while there are several studies of hawking in Malaysia (Agus, 1987; Hassan, 2003; McGee and Yeung, 1977; Pang and Toh, 2008; Toh and Birchenough, 2000) these have largely excluded a gender perspective (Franck, 2011; Loh‐Ludher, 2012). Information regarding women's motivations to enter this type of work thus remains scarce.…”

“…On the one hand, this can be used as an illustration of the restrictions women face with regards to remunerative work. At the same time, as argued in Franck (2011, 2012), it can also be viewed through the perspective that women use micro‐entrepreneurship as a way to re‐negotiate the spatial boundaries which frames their gendered role. Informal micro‐entrepreneurship can thus be regarded as a way for women to mediate their access to public places.…”

World-View, Locus of Control and Entrepreneurial Orientation in Social Entrepreneurship Endeavour

“…There are many productive activities to be used in operating sustainable livelihood such as agriculture, fisheries, dairy farms, forestry, locally produced products and small-scale economic projects. Most of the activities are performed through informal medium and contribute to the wellbeing of a particular group of people (Ming-Huang 2008;Sookram & Watson 2008;Ealham 2008;and Franck 2011). "Informal sector" refers to the legal as well illegal market-based production of goods and services that escapes detection in the official estimates of GDP (Sookram & Watson 2008).…”