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Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest among researchers in the field of women's empowerment. In the current Malaysian context, the government has shown a strong commitment to enhancing inclusivity and providing equitable opportunities for all Malaysians, with a particular focus on women. This commitment is reflected in both the Twelfth Plan for 2021-2025 and the National Entrepreneurship Plan 2030. These plans align with the multi-dimensional approach of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by placing women at the forefront of development efforts. Women in Malaysia are increasingly joining cooperatives, as these organizations offer access to vital resources, training, and markets, and create a supportive environment for members to develop their skills, confidence, knowledge, and networks. However, despite the potential benefits of women's cooperatives, they face numerous challenges that impede their performance and sustainability. Furthermore, while past studies have identified various factors related to women's empowerment, there has been a limited focus on understanding women's empowerment from a resource-based perspective and exploring cooperative performance through the lens of board members in women's cooperatives. As a result, this study aims to investigate the relationship between empowerment and women's cooperatives. The research will take a quantitative approach and involve the distribution of expert-validated questionnaires to seven selected board members from a pool of 234 women's cooperatives in Malaysia. Subsequent analysis will explore the impact of structural empowerment on cooperative performance. The outcomes of this study will shine a light on the challenges women encounter in accessing economic resources, and opportunities, and participating in decision-making processes. It underscores the significance of addressing these challenges and creating an enabling environment to promote women's empowerment.
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