KUALA LUMPUR: Women’s empowerment must be prioritised as a key agenda in the national development to build an inclusive and progressive Malaysia, says Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
The Women, Family, and Community Development Minister said that this should be achieved through the implementation of strategic measures to further boost women’s involvement in key decision-making roles and shape the nation's direction.
"One of the main steps taken is to increase women's labour force participation to 60%, alongside introducing family-friendly job opportunities to support a balance between professional and personal life.
“However, this effort cannot be driven by the government alone,” she said in her speech during the International Women's Day Celebration here on Saturday (March 8).
Themed “Wanita Beraspirasi, Membina Legasi”, Nancy said this theme was selected to emphasise that women, too, can realise their dreams in various fields, including economy, politics, education, technology and society.
She said that empowering women in Malaysia did not come without its challenges.
She highlighted that female participation in the labour force is still low, with only 56.2% compared to males with 82.3%.
“Many women are forced to quit their careers after getting married or giving birth to children and not returning to work.
She also urged employers to provide family-friendly policies to support women returning to the workforce.
“The society needs to eliminate the stigma against women who choose to pursue a career, while individuals must also continue to fight for their rights and opportunities,” she added.
In terms of safety, Nancy said the cases of violence against women are still high, with 5,249 cases reported throughout 2024.
She added that Program Perantisan Wanita (Perantis) would help produce future-proof female leaders.
“In 2024, Perantis has received 354 applications, of which 25 programs have been approved, benefitting 1,247 participants.
“Looking at the effectiveness of this program, the government has allocated RM5mil in the 2025 Budget to expand its implementation.
“This year’s goal is to train 100 female figures who will lead various initiatives and benefit 5,000 female participants across the country,” said Nancy.
