Women as nation-builders: Driving equality and empowerment
Nancy stressed the need to overcome significant gender disparities by fostering societal understanding that women’s contributions extended far beyond raising the next generation.
KUALA LUMPUR – Equal participation in education, health, business, technology, governance and other sectors is key to empowering women as contributors to Malaysia's nation-building.
Women work alongside men to shape the nation's socio-economic, political and cultural landscapes.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said while female leaders remained few for now, their perspectives were critical to fostering inclusive and diverse governance systems in Malaysia.
"Despite some progress, such as achieving one of the highest global rankings for female education attainment, significant gender gaps persist.
"For every RM100 billion earned by men, women earn only 66.67 per cent. In governance, female ministers represent just 16.1 per cent of our candidates.
"I am one of only five women among 31 candidates and while we have a slightly higher proportion of female deputy ministers at 37.6 per cent, only 13.5 per cent of the Dewan Rakyat members are women.
"There are currently only two female secretary-generals in the civil service," she said during the Malaysia Women and Girls Forum (MWGF) 2024, yesterday.
The forum which was livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube addressed critical topics such as gender equality, female empowerment, representation in public life and overcoming societal stereotypes and structural challenges.
Nancy said as women represent nearly half of Malaysia’s population, their full and equitable participation in politics and public life was a prerequisite for achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development.
She said such inclusion was a cornerstone for fostering long-term, inclusive and sustainable development in Malaysia.
"The new challenges we face today require us to put behind us the talents and skills of our people, especially women," she added.
Addressing barriers and unlocking potential
Nancy pointed out that Malaysia could not afford to waste its human potential, particularly as the country was facing challenges like climate change, global instability, technological advances and demographic shifts.
She stressed the need to overcome significant gender disparities by fostering societal understanding that women’s contributions extended far beyond raising the next generation.
"To achieve this, we must address barriers such as unpaid care work, harmful social norms perpetuating inequality and the normalisation of violence against women both online and offline," she said.
Nancy also announced plans to launch Care Industrial Labs in May, bringing together stakeholders to strengthen Malaysia’s care industries.
Research by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies showed that unpaid care work in Malaysia was valued at RM379 billion annually comparable to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the nation’s wealthiest state in 2021.
She noted that access to quality, affordable care, be it childcare or elder care, was critical to managing Malaysia’s demographic challenges.
Legislative and policy efforts
Nancy highlighted the ministry’s recent efforts, including the establishment of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Tribunal, which ensures safer work environments and promotes labour force participation and productivity.
She led Malaysia’s delegation to the 88th session of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Geneva.
The feedback received helped refine national strategies, which will be incorporated into the Pelan Tindakan Pembangunan Wanita (National Action Plan for Women’s Development), set to launch next year.
"This plan aims to empower women in leadership, economic participation and safety while fostering collaboration between ministries and agencies," she said.
The ministry is also implementing policies to encourage women to remain in the workforce, including the expansion of daycare facilities, gender-responsive budgeting and leadership training programmes.
"Our goal is to cultivate female talent and empower women to take on strategic roles.
"True progress means removing all barriers to women’s potential, ensuring their voices are heard and building a nation where equity and inclusion thrive," she said.
A platform for change
This year’s MWGF, themed "Women and Nation-Building: The Foundation for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion," brought together key figures, including Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, Senator Datuk Seri Dr Zurainah Musa and Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid and other speakers and a moderator in various panels discussions.
The forum served as a call to action for Malaysia to prioritise women as equal partners in shaping the nation’s future.
