Gender Equality

&

Women Empowerment

AP Dr Jamaluddin Aziz

Gender Expert

Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development

Questions

1. Why are will still talking about gender equality and women’s empowerment now?

2. Why is it important for us to sustain the agenda of gender equality vis-à-vis women empowerment?

3. How far has KPWKM succeeded in promoting gender equality? What has been the catalyst or what has caused the hamstring?

Question of methodology

• Why personal narrative as a method of analysis?

Contents

• Background :

A. Establishment of formal structure

B. Policies and Plan

C. Legal Instrument

• Gender Mainstreaming as a strategy

• Gender Gap Index

• Present Scenario?

Establishment of Formal Structures

• 2001 – Est. of Department of Women Development (JPW)

• 2001- Est. of the Ministry of Women & Family • 2001 – Est. of KANITA, USM • 2004 – Est. of Ministry of Women, Family and

Community Development • 2006 – Est. of NAM Institute for the

Empowerment of Women (NIEW) • 2012 – Est. of Chair of Women Leadership in UKM

Plans and Policies 1989 – First WDP and POA (Dasar Wanita Negara & Pelan Tindakan Pembangunan Wanita)

1991- First Chapter in 6MP dedicated to Women in Development

2004- Policy of At least 30% Women in Decision Making Level in the Public Sector

2004 – First Budget Circular to include ‘gender analysis’ as sub-a topic (annual provision in circular)

2006 - Est. of the MGGI formula (UNDP)

2008 – First CS Circular letter to instruct collection of gender disaggregated data

2009 – Review of the WDP POA

2010 – CS instruction: GFP only amongst TKSU/TKPs

2011- Policy of At least 55% Female Participation in the Labour Force by 2015 (10 MP target)

2011 – Policy of At least 30% Women in Decision Making Level in the Corporate Sector by 2016

Legal Instruments and Global Frameworks

1994 – Domestic Violence Law Passed in Parliament

1995- Beijing Platform for Action

1995 – Ratification of CEDAW by Malaysia

2001- Introduction of Art.8 (2)of the Federal Constitution that ensure gender equality

–2010 – MDG (Goal 3)

–2015 – SDG (Goal 5)

SDG on Gender Equality

• Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

• While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development Goals (including equal access to primary education between girls and boys), women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in every part of the world.

Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.

Gender Mainstreaming

UN Economic and Social Council – (ESCSOC) through Agreed Conclusion defined GM as: •“...the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making women’s as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality.”

Problem in implementing GM

• Not seen as national issue: there is a common perception among the public at large that gender mainstreaming is the sole responsibility of the national women machineries, ie. MWFCD which is a misconception & misunderstanding when it comes to GM

• Existing mechanisms not working well due to lack of commitment and level of comprehension in all government agencies pertaining to GM & all related matters to gender;

• Lack of institutional mechanisms including training in the Gov to advice other agencies, monitor, track & evaluate GM & GM programmes thus difficult to evaluate DWN & POA

• No/lack of expertise in the civil service: high turnover rate in KPWKM & JPW

• SME needed: Gender, GRB, Monitoring & Evaluation, Gender Analysis, statistical analysis

• Gender Mainstreaming awareness Gender Focal Point Program halted for many years due to lack of expertise and no roadmap in the Ministry to support other government agencies;

• Gender disaggregated data not collected & lack of analysis in public sector

Gender Gap Index 2015

• UN Economic Forum

At a glance, Malaysia has dropped in rank from 72 in 2006 to 111 in 2015. Factors that influence:

1. The number of the countries assessed by World Economic Forum since 2006 has increased from 115 (2006) to 145 (2015).

2. The slow progression made by Malaysia in gender parity compared to other countries.

Present Scenario