PETALING JAYA: The existence of the women’s wing in political parties is crucial in providing them with a structured supportive environment prior to marking their step in national politics, said PKR women’s(Wanita Keadilan) vice chief Sangetha Jayakumar.
Responding to lawyer-turned-activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan’s call for political parties to end its practice of having women’s wings in political parties, Sangetha opined that the latter’s perspective is detached from the realities faced by women in politics.
“In Malaysia, where cultural and systemic barriers continue to hinder women’s participation and leadership, the women’s wings play a crucial role in providing women with a structured, supportive environment to learn, adapt, and develop their leadership skills before stepping into national politics.
“They serve as an essential stepping stone, equipping women with the confidence, networks, and experience necessary to navigate the male-dominated political landscape,” she said in a statement, today.
She further said the idea that women can or should immediately enter central party leadership without these preparatory platforms ignores the realities of gendered political participation.
“In a country like Malaysia, where deeply entrenched societal norms still place disproportionate burdens on women, expecting equal participation without structural support is not only unrealistic but also dismissive of the challenges that women continue to face.
“Globally, research has shown that women’s political wings, mentorship programs, and quotas are effective mechanisms for increasing women’s representation,” she said.
Citing the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), countries with gender quotas and structured women’s wings tend to have significantly higher female political representation.
“In Malaysia, where women hold only 13.5% of parliamentary seats—far below the 30% target recommended by the UN—dismantling support structures like women’s wings would only widen the gap further.
“Women’s wings are not the problem—gender inequality is. Instead of advocating for their removal, we should be strengthening these platforms, ensuring they serve as genuine pathways for women to rise to the highest levels of leadership.
“If women’s wings in some parties are ineffective, then the solution is to reform and empower them, not to abolish them,” she said.
Sangetha said Wanita Keadilan has long championed programmes to empower women in political leadership.
“The Run-2-Win program is a prime example of this commitment. This initiative is designed to equip women with the necessary skills and knowledge to manage elections, develop campaign strategies, and ultimately step forward as candidates.
“Run-2-Win serves as a crucial training ground, ensuring that more women are not only involved in election management but are also prepared to contest and win seats,” she said.
She stressed that strengthening such programs, rather than dismantling women’s wings, is the way forward to ensuring greater female representation in politics.
“If we truly want more women in decision-making positions, we must address the real barriers and ensure that women have the necessary support to lead—not throw them into the deep end and expect them to swim,” she added.
Sangetha’s comments comes after Ambiga who reportedly addressed a public forum organised by NGO Mandiri, opined that the existence of a separate wing for women reinforces male dominance in the party leadership.
Additionally the former Bar Council president also praised the Muda party for not having a women’s wing, saying that it reflects the party’s commitment to treating women as equals.
