Culture, tradition and lack of opportunities place women in minor decision-making roles, says NGO

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has made significant progress since independence more than six decades ago. However, gender equality is not one of those achievements.

For a start, women have little say about their own welfare, and this boils down to the lack of opportunities for them to take part in decision-making process of the country.

According to Empower, a
non-governmental organisation that fights for an equal say in politics for women, the lack of access to available resources is the root cause and consequence of the dearth of women participation in politics.

“For a start, women should be given the chance to influence policies that have an impact on them,” Empower programme officer Amanda Ng told theSun.

She was responding to a Page 1 article in theSun on Monday that highlighted the lack of equity in politics for women in Malaysia.

The way Empower sees it, the slogan “personal is political” best illustrates the challenges women face. Ng attributed the situation to the patriarchal culture and practices.

She said patriarchy is so embedded in the Malaysian psyche that it has come to undermine the lives and well-being of women, especially by people in power.

“Women rarely live on their own terms because society imposes specific standards and ideas on what a woman should and should not be.”

For instance, the choices women make are not on their own terms but that
of society.

“For instance how they dress and how they speak are determined by what is deemed acceptable or otherwise,” she said.

A woman is an equal member of society and, therefore, she should be accorded all her rights as enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Ng said.

“Malaysia is a patriarchal society and women continue to be perceived in binary terms. She is either good or bad. Nothing in between. These definitions are usually determined by those in power who aim to maintain a status quo of men as leaders and women as followers.”

Ng said women in politics are often burdened with higher expectations than men.

“If she does not meet these expectations, she is eliminated. This is a clear case of double standards.”

Ng said economically, women are proponents of development, they encourage the integration of women in the labour force, thereby promoting economic growth and development.

To purge patriarchal ideologies in politics, there has to be a cultural revolution.

“It starts with education. We have to call out sexist and misogynistic behaviour. Political, religious and corporate leaders must be sanctioned if they showcase patriarchal tendencies,” she said.

“The portrayal of women in roles that perpetuate gender stereotypes must end. We must understand that women come with different identities, not just single mothers, housewives or victims of violence.”