Malaysia Focuses On Gender Equality, Targets More Women In Workforce

PETALING JAYA, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- Efforts to empower women will not weaken the family institution but rather strengthen it, said Prime Minister’s wife  Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

In her keynote address at the Gender Outlook Forum 2025 today, Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the Bandar Tun Razak Member of Parliament, said that a family where the mother is educated, economically independent and has a voice is a more resilient, stable and prosperous.

“The family is the first ‘madrasah’, the first school of equity and equality, where our sons learn respect by observing how their father treats their mother, and daughters learn confidence by being heard and valued,” she said.

Dr Wan Azizah stressed that gender equality is not just a women’s issue but a societal vision and a core principle of the ASEAN community. 

“We are working together to address shared challenges, from promoting women’s economic empowerment to combating gender-based violence. Regional solidarity is crucial as it strengthens our collective ability to create a peaceful, prosperous, and truly people-centred ASEAN where no one is left behind,” she said.

Also present were Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and Selangor state executive councillor for Women Development and Social Welfare Anfaal Saari.

Dr Wan Azizah’s remarks came as the KPWKM reaffirmed its commitment to raising female labour force participation to 60 per cent by 2030 under the National Women’s Policy and Action Plan 2025-2030. 

In her opening speech earlier, Nancy said the framework focuses on four key pillars - economy, leadership, safety and well-being, to support women in re-entering, staying and advancing in the workforce.

She said among the key initiatives introduced are the expansion of affordable childcare access, including workplace-based child nurseries, to support working mothers; the Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM programme, which has empowered 9,400 women through entrepreneurship training, job matching and business grants; and the Gig@BIT initiative that equips women with digital skills to thrive in the online economy. 

In addition, the MamaCare initiative has trained over 800 women as professional caregivers, turning postnatal care into a sustainable income source, she said.

Nancy also highlighted measures to strengthen women’s safety, including the enforcement of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, operationalisation of a dedicated tribunal and the criminalisation of stalking.

She said the ministry has also introduced PERANTIS, a leadership programme designed to nurture women across diverse fields, including politics, economy, education, law and health.

“With an allocation of RM5 million this year, the programme connects 100 distinguished mentors with 5,000 participants nationwide,” said Nancy.

She added that structural barriers, including caregiving demands and rigid workplace arrangements, are key reasons women leave the workforce. 

Currently, Malaysia’s female labour force participation rate stands at 55.8 per cent, one of the lowest among ASEAN nations. 

The two-day forum, themed ‘Advancing Gender Equality in ASEAN’, is organised by the Standing Committee on Women and Family Empowerment to strengthen regional cooperation on women’s empowerment and gender equality was attended by nearly 200 participants from government agencies, international organisations, civil society, academia and the private sector. 

-- BERNAMA