KUALA LUMPUR: Ten aspects of reform are needed to accelerate gender equality to mark this International Women’s Day, says Wanita MCA.
Its chief Datuk Wong You Fong said gender inequality and unfair treatment still existed in many areas, which continued to hinder women’s rights.
“Since our nation’s independence, Malaysian women have faced many challenges and struggles in the fight for equal treatment,” she said yesterday.
She said the 10 key demands were to accelerate gender equality and legal reforms to ensure that Malaysian women were not denied their basic rights.
The demands included ending unilateral conversion of children, passing the Anti-Discrimination Against Women Bill, revamping the sex offender’s registry, criminalising marital rape and ending child marriage.
Wong also called for revamp mechanisms to enforce maintenance orders, increase access to affordable and quality childcare, increase political participation of women, pass the Social Work Profession Bill and strengthen laws on gender-based violence.
The theme this year, “Accelerate Action”, reflected Wanita MCA’s aspirations for action to progress, not regress, she added.
Wong also said many victims of sexual harassment remain silent, ashamed or afraid to speak up.
She said this indicated the country’s weakness in protecting women’s rights even after 30 years of signing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw).
