PUTRAJAYA, Nov 25 — PKR should continue its agenda of empowering women’s representation at the level of Parliament, State Legislative Assembly, and party branches, said party Wanita chief Fadhlina Sidek.
Fadhlina, who is also the Education Minister, said that based on the World Economic Forum’s (WEF 2023) report, Malaysia is at the bottom rung of ASEAN countries in terms of dominance and political involvement of women.
“Even achieving the target of 30 per cent female candidates in elections is out of reach because women formed only 12 per cent of contesting candidates in the 2023 State Elections.
“Despite numerous initiatives to increase women’s representation to 30 per cent in Parliament, there are many factors causing their lack of representation in Parliament, the State Assembly, the political ecosystem, and even within the political party itself,” she said during her speech at the2023 PKR Wanita Congress at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, here today.
Fadhlina said increased women’s representation would result in better policies to protect women, children, and the elderly as well as gender mainstreaming policies.
She said fair and equal gender representation can enable issues of domestic violence, sexual harassment, mental health, aging with dignity, family health, participation in the economy and nation’s workforce as well as family development to be defended more effectively.
“Therefore, it is critical for Wanita Keadilan to consistently defend the rights of women related to issues of domestic violence, citizenship of children with Malaysian mothers, advocate against sexual harassment, and make it a priority to empower women in nation building,” she said.
She also expressed hope that the party leadership will continue being committed to ensuring women’s representation in every election.
Fadhlina, who is also Nibong Tebal Member of Parliament, said starting next year the “Wanita Akar Rumput MADANI” and Run To Win programmes will be held periodically for all women, while the “Bakul Makanan Wanita”, “Kasih Keluarga MADANI”, “Wanita Keadilan #sayangi diri” and “#MadaniBelajar” will be promoted under Wanita PKR.
Fadhlina added that as part of the Unity Government, PKR wants to implement six commitments in line with various ongoing reforms, such as elevating the status of the Syariah Court by strengthening its jurisdiction, reforming civil and criminal Syariah criminal procedures as well as improving and expanding punishment to ensure justice.
Expanding access and quality of education through the empowerment of Bahasa Malaysia, strengthening proficiency in English and skills in the field of Technical Education and Vocational Training (TVET), and improving the healthcare system and access for vulnerable groups as well as mental health and health screening, specifically for women, are other areas of focus, she added.
Engineering the Aging Nation 2030 policy and advocating basic rights for the elderly; expanding the field of social and community workers in order to increase the workforce, especially in the “care economy” sector, and ensuring the protection, legal defence, advocacy, and rights of vulnerable victims or witnesses (women and children) in sexual violence cases in the context of court support during proceedings will also be addressed, she said.
Fadhlina, also touched on the Gaza issue, urging all members of the Wanita wing to continue supporting the position of the Unity Government in firmly condemning the cruelty against the Palestinian people and for the Israeli regime to cease its inhumane attack.
“We have firmly denounced the massacre of Muslims in Palestine, especially the violence against children, women, and the general public. It is impossible for us not to take a hard line against Israel or respond neutrally,” she said.
