Govt plans to draft bill on women's rights

KUALA LUMPUR: The government plans to draft a legislation relating to women's rights such as the Gender Equality Bill to balance the role of men and women in the nation's development, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.
She said the enactment of the proposed act was expected to bridge the gender inequality between women and men by incorporating the principle of Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in the Malaysian laws.
"The phenomenon such as low involvement among women at the leadership level, stereotyping and segregation of jobs in the professional fields, unequal pay, women's hierarchy in society and so on will be addressed by the legislating of this act," she said during the Minister's Questioning session at the Dewan Rakyat today.
She was replying to a question by Datuk Normala Abdul Samad (BN-Pasir Gudang) on the development and action taken by the ministry in drafting the Gender Equality Bill.
Rohani said the legislation would help to eliminate discrimination and uphold equality as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
Rohani said the drafting of the act was still at the consultation stage with various stakeholders to ensure all views were being taken into account.
She said the ministry also held a workshop in 2017 aimed at discussing the rationale for enacting the Gender Equality Act and providing an understanding of the proposed bill.
The workshop involved agencies under the ministry such as the Social Welfare Department, Women’s Development Department, National Population and Family Development Board besides external agencies such as the Economic Planning Unit, Attorney-General’s Chambers, Foreign Ministry and non-governmental organisations.
Her ministry also held a follow-up session with the Foreign Ministry, Attorney-General Chambers and NGOs on March 29 and a series of further discussions would be held this year involving all government agencies, states, Malaysian Parliament women’s caucus, NGOs and stakeholders, she added.— Bernama