The main objective of the Tribunal is to provide an alternative form of justice and advocacy for women's human rights and gender equality. Illustration: Shika
The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) and Engender Consultancy today announced Malaysia’s first Women’s Tribunal, which will take place online in November.
The Tribunal will be a first in Malaysia and aims to provide an alternative form of justice and advocacy for women’s human rights and gender equality in Malaysia.
Women who are or have been affected by gender discrimination will be able to give their testimonies at the Tribunal which aims to present the lived realities of women in Malaysia through its proceedings. There will also be presentations of advocates followed by the verdict of a panel of "judges".
“The main objectives of the Tribunal are to provide an alternative form of justice and advocacy for women's human rights and gender equality; empower and create a space to amplify the voices of diverse women as agents of change; show gaps in law, policy, cultural and institutional structures and their impact; receive recommendations to effect change and hold the State accountable; and build solidarity and strengthen movements,” said Ivy Josiah, convener of the Women’s Tribunal.
“Women’s Tribunals have been used in many other parts of the world since 1976 but this is a first for Malaysia,” said Josiah.
The Women’s Tribunal will gather testimonies from affected persons and present them to a panel of three 'judges' who are experts in the areas of human rights and gender equality. The 'judges' comprise Mary Shanthi Dairiam, founder of Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific), an international NGO based in Malaysia, and UN committee member on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (2005-2008); Zainah Anwar, co-founder of Sisters in Islam (SIS) in Malaysia and Musawah, the global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family; and Nadia Malyanah, programme associate at UNDI18 and advocate for higher political participation and representation of Malaysian women with the 111 Initiative.
The judges will be supported by a team of three advisors and five lawyers.
“Witness testimonies will be presented under these themes: constitutional and legal framework, economy, health, education, political and public life, violence against women, family, gender identity and climate change,” said co-convener of the Women’s Tribunal Wathshlah G Naidu from Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO).
“This will be followed by statements from women’s human rights advocates, who will provide further context and analysis on why women continue to face the specific forms of discrimination as well as identify the gaps in laws and policies, and how the State has failed to meet its international human rights commitments,” said Wathshlah.
The Tribunal is the highlight of a three-day event, Women’s Tribunal: Reimagining Justice. It will take place on Nov 27-28, followed by the Kebahagiaan Dirimu Arts Festival on Nov 29.
Women’s Tribunals have been used in many other parts of the world since 1976 but this is a first for Malaysia, said Ivy Josiah. Photo: Syed Zainal RashidThe judges' findings and recommendations will be presented later on Dec 4.
While the Women’s Tribunal is not a formal legal process and it has no official power to issue legally binding decisions or enforce individual criminal responsibilities, JAG believes that it will be a powerful tool for gaining support for women’s rights and gender equality, said Josiah.
Co-convener of the Women’s Tribunal Meera Samanther from the Association of Women’s Lawyers said: “It is our hope that this process will provide an alternative form of justice and advocacy for women's human rights and gender equality and most of all create a space to amplify the voices of diverse women as agents of change."
Planning for the woman’s advocacy project began in February, led by a steering committee of 14 women’s organisations: All Women’s Action Society (AWAM); Association of Women Lawyers (AWL); Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER); Family Frontiers; Justice for Sisters (JFS); Knowledge and Rights with Young people through Safer Space (KRYSS Network); Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor (PSWS); Perak Women For Women Society (PWW); Sabah Women’s Action-Resource Group (SAWO); Sisters in Islam (SIS); Tenaganita; Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO); Women’s Centre for Change (WCC); plus ENGENDER Consultancy.
The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has been invited to observe and respond to the judges’ findings and recommendations. The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) chair and the Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) have also been invited to make an address during the Women’s Tribunal.
The Tribunal will be hosted virtually through Zoom and Facebook Live in English and Bahasa Melayu, together with sign language interpretation.
Members of the public are encouraged to register to gain access to Bahasa Melayu translation and sign-language interpretation. By registering, participants will also be in the running to win a gift basket worth RM1,000.
More info at: WomensTribunalMalaysia.com
