Workplace Equality: Malaysia Still Lagging Behind

Gender equality in Malaysian businesses is still a work in progress. 

 

Improving the workplace

Kuantan MP, Fuziah Salleh, acknowledged that the country is still trailing behind in this area and hoped policymakers would take action.

During the launch of the Malaysia Women & Girls Forum 2021 last Friday, she said that there is a need to improve on equal pay, equal work, flexible working hours, and a more sensitive workplace for women.

The 12th Malaysia Plan highlights the country's commitment to gender equality. Malaysia is on track to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals' fifth objective, gender equality, by 2030 and the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030.

Apart from coordinating the government's strategies to fulfil these goals, Fuziah stated that one of the government's short-term goals is implementing the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill.

According to her, sexual harassment is a form of discrimination based on gender. She said that focusing on this specific issue would give a practical framework for drafting a gender equality bill and upholding women's rights.

 

Gender gap

CEO of the Penang Women's Development Corporation, Ong Bee Leng, feels that women should enter politics because there is a significant gender gap.

Based on the gender disparities index, it is the largest gender gap that Malaysia has, at only 10.7%.

She hoped the government would provide more resources and incentives to encourage more women to pursue careers in politics.

Furthermore, Ong believes that to empower women and maintain physical autonomy, a converged approach is required, in which such concerns are addressed jointly by the public and the government.

She said that it's also worth looking into the upstreaming method. She added that one of the methods to teach children about understanding their bodies, such as noticing the discomfort when someone touches them, and that talking about it is not taboo.

According to lawmakers, Malaysia has a long way to go to achieve gender equality.

Gender divide

Meanwhile, Karima El Korri, the UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam, said the Covid-19 outbreak had exposed a gender divide.

She said that women have suffered more and continue to suffer more, as their hard-won development achievements were likely too fragile to endure such a crisis.

She added that Malaysia had witnessed countless heroic acts performed by women, particularly as healthcare workers and caregivers. Still, they continue to face massive job losses, ruined livelihoods, disruptions in access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as an increase in domestic violence, all alongside an increase in unpaid work.

 

Violence against women a health concern

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar was also present at the event. He declared violence against women a health concern because it violates their human, integrity, and sexual rights.

He said that women who have been abused are more prone to participate in high-risk behaviours such as smoking and substance misuse, leading to chronic diseases and mental health problems.

He added that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, and other agencies, is working to combat domestic violence by providing a centralised processing point where survivors can get protection, healthcare, and justice.

"Based on the sheer volume of cases, calls and reports, it is time for us to examine how we can up the ante in terms of expanding access, efficiency, training, counselling, as well as other vital considerations."

Khairy also acknowledged the essential social and legal gaps that women and girls face, which can only be filled if everyone works together.

"I will do more to create policies that will ensure not only the protection of women and girls, but that focuses on their wellbeing in all aspects."

 

Source: The Malaysian Reserve