We cannot leave half our population on the sidelines

YESTERDAY was International Women’s Day, so it’s nice to be able to say that Malaysia has made significant progress in advancing women’s rights over the years.

Government policies have empowered women in education, health, and other sectors of the workforce.

Today, there are more women in public universities, and more are involved in professional careers.

Significantly, women now have a higher life expectancy as progress is made in female-specific medicine and science.

But progress is still not parity.

Malaysian women continue to be sidelined in economic participation, political representation, and leadership roles.

Despite years of research showing how all of society advances when girls and women advance, deep-rooted systemic barriers persist, holding back the full potential of women in shaping the future in many countries, including in Malaysia.

Women comprise about half of Malaysia’s population, yet they are still under-represented in Parliament.

After years of pledges to boost female representation, only 14% of women hold seats despite the 30% benchmark set by the government.

Corporate Malaysia is not doing any better. While women are increasingly visible in middle management, the glass ceiling remains stubbornly intact at the boardroom level. Only a handful of women lead Malaysia’s largest corporations as most still face systemic barriers to moving up.

A significant gender gap persists even in the labour force.

Women’s labour force participation lags behind that of neighbours like Singapore and Thailand.

Societal expectations, entrenched gender norms and a lack of supportive workplace policies – such as adequate parental leave, childcare support, and flexible work arrangements – stop many women from pursuing their career progression as they are forced to choose family over work.

Malaysia’s workplaces remain structured around outdated paradigms, placing men as the primary breadwinners and leaving women in a perpetual struggle to balance their careers and families.

The question is not whether Malaysia has made progress. It has.

The question is whether it has done enough. It has not.

Malaysia cannot leave half its population – its women – on the sidelines.

As Malaysia aims for high-income nation status, maximising human capital is non-negotiable.

Countries that have successfully integrated women into leadership and economic roles, such as Iceland, Finland, and New Zealand, consistently rank among the most innovative, competitive, and prosperous nations. Malaysia should take note.

Achieving gender parity is not about tokenism or filling quotas. It is about unlocking the full potential of a nation.

More diverse leadership fosters better decision-making, as studies have shown that companies with gender-diverse boards perform better financially.

More women in politics leads to more inclusive policymaking, particularly on issues like education, healthcare, and social welfare, which impact the broader population.

Empowering women in leadership is not just a matter of social justice but an economic imperative.

The World Economic Forum estimates that closing the gender gap in labour force participation could boost Malaysia’s GDP significantly.

Malaysia must go beyond symbolic gestures to accelerate fully integrating women at all levels of society.

The government must legislate stronger measures to boost female workforce participation, including mandatory paid parental leave, tax incentives for companies that implement gender-equal policies, and greater investments in affordable childcare.

Political parties must commit to fielding more female candidates in winnable seats.

The private sector must ensure women are hired, promoted, and mentored into leadership roles.

In this month that celebrates women, Malaysia should not merely celebrate past achievements but take decisive action for the future.

The goal is clear: a Malaysia where women and men have equal opportunities to serve, lead, and shape the nation.

Anything less is a disservice to progress and a betrayal of the untapped potential within half of our population.