Recognise women as essential players in transforming urban space to be gender equitable — Zuraida

KUALA LUMPUR: Women must no longer be seen as passive victims or consumers of discrimination, but rather as essential players in transforming urban space and cities to be gender equitable, safe and inclusive.

Council of Malaysian Women Political Leaders (COMWEL) president and founder Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin (pix) said recognising women as essential players is the right step in the collective mental revolution for all to genuinely achieve gender equality and realise their right to be part of a safe city.

“They (women and girls) must be empowered to take part in urban life and its governance, free from fear of intimidation and violence.

“Women and girls should be as free to move about their city as men and boys, and we must increase public campaign to stop street-harassment to raise awareness of the importance of safe and equal access to public spaces,” she said.

Zuraida said this in her keynote opening address at Malaysia Urban Forum 2021 Women’s Assembly which discussed the topic ‘A Gender Inclusive Covid-19 Urban Recovery’, held virtually via Zoom, today.

Zuraida, who is also Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister said in transforming cities into safe spaces for women, the collective mindset must adapt to the goals of sustainable development.

“We must deal with the endemic problem of gender stereotyping, which often suppresses women, and the endemic issues in public health, particularly the importance of immune protection from vaccination and access to affordable healthcare.

“Endemic violence and endemic virus, these are the contemporary challenges that we face today, and for the women and girls who must struggle with endemic discrimination and health issues, we must find tools for them to overcome these challenges,” she said.

Zuraida said she strongly believed that the digital blueprint will be a long-term sustainable solution for smart and safe cities, and following that cities should adopt an integrated approach through digital solutions as well as working with all stakeholders to empower women to be safe in urban spaces.

Meanwhile, she said more women should be appointed in decision making positions and strategic positions so that gender equality, to stop gender-based violence, to stop gender stereotyping, to transform urban space to become more gender friendly and to enhance technology to ensure a safe city, can be realised. — Bernama