KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is taking yet another step towards bridging the gender equality gap.
The Gender Equality Bill, whose objectives are also to ensure equal rights and fundamental freedom for women, will be tabled for debate at the current session of the Dewan Rakyat that begins today.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had, in December last year, announced that the government was working towards formulating a legislation that guaranteed gender equality.
Social activist Datuk Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin pointed out that Malaysia was already a signatory to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
“For for too long, there has not been any momentum to enact such laws until now,” she said at a panel discussion on Women at Law: Challenges and Perspectives at the forum on Women in Arbitration: Being a Rising Star last Friday.
She said there should be a mechanism to monitor and evaluate whether or not women were underpaid or discriminated against.
Moderator Ooi Bee Hong said that in the United Kingdom companies with more than 250 employees were required by law to declare if their women employees were paid the same amount as their male colleagues.
“In France, companies are required to install a software in their payroll to monitor unjustified pay gaps between men and women,” she added.
Corporate figure Datuk Zuraidah Atan said men should be roped in to help prevent discrimination against women in corporate, law or political settings.
“If we don’t get men on our side, it will be very difficult to implement policies that ensure gender equality. Women can be successful if they have supportive spouses or men who are aware of their rights,” she added.
Other panelists in the forum included Negri Sembilan exco member Nicole Tan, and general counsel of AIA Berhad Datin Veronica Selvanayagy.
The forum was organised by Lee Hishammuddin Allen and Gledhill and the event was officiated by Negeri Sembilan Tunku Ampuan Besar Tunku Aishah Rohani Almarhum Tengku Besar Mahmud.
