SHAH ALAM — As the country strides towards a progressive future, the notion of a gender-responsive budget has emerged as a critical tool for addressing systemic inequalities.
While Malaysia's efforts, such as the RM615 million allocation for women and youth entrepreneurship programmes signalled progress, they may not address the systemic barriers women face.
Comparing global best practices like Iceland's equal parental leave and gender equity-focused policies raises questions about how Malaysia's approach measured up.
Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid highlighted the deeply rooted structural and cultural issues that hinder women’s advancement in Malaysia.
"It’s not just about the individual woman trying to change things, but a collective effort involving men and boys.
"Creating family-friendly and gender-safe spaces such as childcare facilities in Parliament and government buildings can make a significant difference in enabling women to join the workforce and politics," she said during the Malaysia Women and Girls Forum (MWGF) 2024, held last week.
Themed "Women and Nation Building: The Foundation for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion," the forum, organised by the United Nations and UNFPA Malaysia, gathered policymakers, academics, youth and civil society representatives to address gender equality.
She emphasised the importance of equal representation and inclusive policy making and pointed out that gender issues should not just be discussed by women; it is a shared responsibility.
For young women and girls aspiring to enter politics or business, she called for mentorship platforms that provided guidance and opportunities to learn in a supportive environment.
"We must move away from one-size-fits-all policies and instead listen to every stakeholder to create solutions that work for everyone.
"Forums and debates at the national level are essential to addressing cultural stereotypes and promoting shared family responsibilities, such as equal parental leave," she added.
Meanwhile, International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance University in Malaysia Professor and Associate Dean for Students and Internationalisation Dr Aishath Muneeza expressed concern that Malaysia’s gender-responsive budgeting efforts were insufficient.
She pointed out that while the RM615 million allocation for women and youth entrepreneurship programmes was a step forward, it did not fully address the structural inequalities embedded in society.
"We need to find out the ways to ensure that both men and women can participate equally in nation-building.
"Take maternity leave, for instance—why aren't we rethinking this? In countries like Iceland, they offer both maternity and paternity leave, so that both men and women share equal responsibility in building their families.
"By providing equal leave, parents can balance their roles, but unfortunately, our policies are not yet aligned with such progressive practices," she said.
Aishath also criticised the lack of meaningful investment in women’s empowerment, pointing out that voluntary programmes like the i-Suri (Skim Caruman Sukarela Insentif Suri) scheme only benefitted a limited group while leaving many women, particularly those who could not afford to participate, invisible and unsupported.
She noted the importance of incentivising companies that treated men and women equally and highlighted the need for aligned policies to support such initiatives.
She highlighted that Iceland’s measures, such as equal parental leave and significant investments in gender equity, effectively balanced family responsibilities between men and women while fostering an equitable labour force.
In comparison, Malaysia’s programmes, like the matching contributions for household participation in the Employees Provident Fund and the 30 per cent board representation target by 2027, fell short of addressing the deeper systemic issues that hinder true gender equality, she added.
She also stressed the risks Malaysia faced without strong mechanisms to support unpaid domestic workers, affordable childcare and equitable parental leave.
She said a truly gender-responsive budget must go beyond symbolic allocations, calling for structural reform, cultural change and genuine investment in policies that enable both men and women to contribute equally to nation-building.
"There are countless invisible issues happening around us, but who takes responsibility? Without a compelling reason, no one steps in, which is why this falls under what we call fiscal policy," she added.