ENHANCE GOVT-NGO COLLABORATION TO ADDRESS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN – CSOS

PETALING JAYA, The collaboration and engagement between the government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) need continuous strengthening to address and resolve issues related to discrimination and women's rights. In a joint press conference organised by Sisters in Islam (SIS) today, representatives from 11 civil society organisations (CSOs) who participated in the Sixth Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) recently, expressed appreciation for the government's efforts to improve women's human rights in the country. However, the CSOs emphasised the need for further recognition of the intersectionality of issues that impact the lives of women and girls in the country, across all diversities and identities. SIS executive director Rozana Isa urged the government to engage in genuine consultation with NGOs that share the same goal of advocating for women from all walks of life, in order to tackle discrimination issues in a holistic manner. "The CEDAW process is truly about ensuring progress, but on certain issues, there has been insufficient advancement. Many of us in the CSO community are addressing numerous instances of discrimination against women. "It would be beneficial if the government could establish a mechanism involving multiple industry players to address the issues occurring in our country," she said during the press conference at the SIS Office here today. The CEDAW session held in Geneva, Switzerland last week saw the participation of a Malaysian delegation led by Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. Meanwhile, Centre for Independent Journalism executive director Wathshlah Naidu added that ministries should work together to develop a concrete solution towards the issues faced by women in this country. "The establishment of the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry has provided a good mechanism for addressing these issues, but ministries cannot operate in isolation, they need to collaborate and share data across various ministries. "It's quite challenging to obtain data and updates on different policies necessary for improvement," she remarked, noting that many issues submitted to CEDAW since 1995 remain unresolved. In addition, Orang Asal Women's Association of Malaysia (PWOAM) deputy secretary-general Ita Bah Nan emphasised that the voices of minorities should be taken into account in government policies on women's rights. "It's crucial that the policies reflect what is truly needed by us minorities, rather than what others perceive as our needs. The government organises programmes for us only once a year, often in hotels, making it difficult for us to regularly convey our concerns," she said while attending the press conference virtually from Sabah. In a separate statement, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) also lauded the Malaysian government's dedication to the CEDAW reporting process. They expressed optimism that the recommendations put forth by the committee would act as a driving force in propelling forward the cause of women's rights and the wider human rights agenda. Suhakam further urged the government to prioritise policies and laws that would positively impact all women, especially those belonging to vulnerable groups. Key issues requiring attention include citizenship rights, female genital mutilation, child marriage and sexual harassment. Source: BERNAMA News Agency