Women in Malaysia

Modern-day Malaysian women.

Women in Malaysia receives support from the Malaysian government concerning their rights to advance, to make decisions, to health, education and social welfare, and to the removal of legal obstacles and gender discrimination. The Malaysian government has ensured these factors through the establishment of Ministry of National Unity and Social Development in 1997 (formerly known in 1993 as Women's Affairs Secretariat or HAWA). This was followed by the formation of the Women's Affairs Ministry in 2001 to recognize the roles and contributions of Malaysian women.

At present, however, the women of Malaysia still face other challenges such as stereotyping and patriarchal mind-sets, which are related to the cultures and religions of Malaysian society, including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity. Traditionally, a married Malaysian woman is expected to be a person who stays in the household to take care of the family.

The women who chose to join the workforce of the country were only at the 36% level. This figure comprises females who are within the clerical and production sectors. Those who were able to climb to the professional ladder are mostly within the realm of nursing and teaching professions.^[1]

See also

• Malay women

References

1. ^ Status Report, WOMEN'S EQUALITY IN MALAYSIA, March 2001

Further readings

• Malaysia canes three women over extramarital sex, BBC News
• Ahmad, Aminah. Women in Malaysia, Country Briefing Paper, December 1998, 81 pages
• Azizah, Wan. Women in Politics: Reflections from Malaysia, Case Study, 2002, 5 pages

External links

• National Association of Women Entrepreneurs in Malaysia
• Women's Organisations Malaysia