← Back to list

Women in Malaysia are doing well

Mar 08, 2019

It's International Women's Day!

The good news is, there's been progress for women in Malaysia, career- wise.

The Star reports that women actually outnumber men  when it comes to dentists, lawyers, accountants and doctors.

This despite the fact that only about half of them are in the workforce.

We're happy about the stats, but the Women's Aid Organisation wants to turn up the volume on female voices from all walks of life.

Gender inequality and discrimination still persists in many areas... women are under-represented in workplaces, in boardrooms, in Parliament and in cabinet.

But it just doesn't stop there... discrimination chases women from the hiring process until the workplace.

A survey conducted by the WAO found that about 40 percent of pregnant women face some form of discrimination at work.

Tan Heang Lee, Advocacy and Communications Officer of the Women's Aid Organisation 

Image: Malaymail

There are instances where they were made redundant, denied promotion, placed on prolonged probation and some were even demoted.

Image: The Hills

Some female job applicants were asked by interviewers if they were pregnant or had plans to become pregnant.

As such, the NGO together with Joint Action Committee for Gender Equality are advocating for a Gender Equality Act.

This is to protect women from gender discrimination and compel the government to accelerate the fulfilment of gender equality.

Image: NST

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail says for every 107 men in Malaysia, there are 100 women (as of last year).

We are nearly half of the Malaysian population!

As such, the WAO wants greater women empowerment.

It says this needs to be done soon for the cohesiveness of society and the betterment of all people and democracy.

The World Economic Forum predicts that it could take 170 years to close the gender gap in East Asia and the Pacific.

That is, IF the current rising trend of gender equality awareness remains.

But we're hoping that more men and women start fighting for the cause so that gender equality can be achieved sooner! #BalanceforBetter