
8th March 2023 marked International Women’s Day — alongside celebrations globally, the Malaysian government also announced several initiatives aimed at empowering women under the Malaysia Madani theme.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim spoke at the International Women’s Day celebrations in Kuala Lumpur, acknowledging that “women play a vital role in the lives of many people – from mothers to sisters to wives to those in the workforce. They have long been the backbone of this country but we still hear of them being abused, their rights trampled, and we do not acknowledge the sacrifices they’ve made for us to prosper.”
The Malaysia Madani concept, espoused by the unity government under his leadership, was actually inspired by the contributions of women. He paid tribute to his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in his speech, saying that “In Islam, a woman’s role is indispensable as she is the one holding down the household. In fact, our Malaysia Madani will not be a success if it weren’t for the sacrifices the women in my life have made, especially my wife.”
It’s heartening to see the government’s commitment towards uplifting women and advancing gender equality, marking a significant step towards creating a more inclusive society. Let’s explore exactly what these initiatives involve, and their potential impact.
1. Launch of the i-Sayang initiative
Anwar announced the immediate launch of the i-Sayang initiative during his speech on International Women’s Day. It entails husbands voluntarily transferring 2% of their EPF savings to their wives’ accounts monthly.
This will give housewives and women without jobs some financial security for their golden years, and is part of the government’s planned expansion of the social protection network to include family institutions. Government servants will also be monitored to ensure that they have contributed.
2. Elevating women to take on at least 30% of decision-making roles
In his speech, Anwar also said that his government would pursue the goal of elevating women to take on at least 30% of decision-making roles in government-linked companies (GLCs), government-linked investment companies (GLICs), and Minister of Finance incorporated companies by 2025.
“I want to embrace change. We must still choose the most qualified, but we must also increase the roles of women,” he said. “There are still avenues for improvement—giving women recognition is just not enough.”
He also called on private companies to follow his goal, and have at least 30% women on the Board of Directors by 2025. Citing a report by the Securities Commission, the number of women holding board positions in the private sector stood at 29% as of Dec 31 2022.
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3. RM1 million women’s emergency assistance fund
Called ‘Tabung Kasih Rahmah Wanita’, this RM1 million women’s emergency assistance fund is aimed at helping women in distress or left in vulnerable situations. This includes victims of domestic violence, as well as those neglected or abandoned by spouses and family members.
4. New guidelines for the Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy Programme
Anwar also introduced new guidelines for the multi-phased implementation of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy Program, which sees the posting of anti-sexual harassment notices in the premises of every organisation across Malaysia.
The notices, made by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, would be first posted in buildings across the public sector before eventually being posted in private sectors and community areas.
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5. RM5 million set aside for data collection, research and promotion of future women empowerment programmes
Last but not least, Anwar mentioned that a further RM5 million would be used for data collection, research and promotion of future women empowerment programmes, allocated to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
“Discrimination against women and the challenges they face are still common even today, which makes the newly allocated RM5mil funding all the more important,” he said.
The wrap up
These initiatives are welcome news for women around Malaysia, and stand to make a great positive impact. All eyes are now on the government as well as employers, to ensure women are empowered to step into decision-making roles, get the support they need, and stay protected against sexual harassment and financial inequality.
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