PUTRAJAYA, March 7 — Malaysia has witnessed significant strides in narrowing the gender gap in recent years, with percentage of women directors increased to 29.7 per cent in 2023 from 14 per cent in 2016.
However, there is still much work ahead to bridge this divide, said Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
“Malaysia, while making progress, still lags behind our Southeast Asian counterparts, particularly concerning critical issues like the gender wage gap,” she said.
Nancy was speaking at Futuremakers by Standard Chartered and Mereka Innovative Education’s Women in Entrepreneurship (WiE) Programme 2024 awards ceremony today, in conjunction with International Women’s Day tomorrow.
Also present were Standard Chartered Malaysia’s chief executive officer Mak Joon Nien and Mereka’s director Juliana Adam.
The minister said that recognising women is integral to the fabric of society and that their success in the business arena directly correlates with the success of the country’s economy.
Therefore, initiatives like the WiE programme mark a significant stride forward in the collective efforts to diminish gender disparity so men and women can stand equally within the entrepreneurial landscape.
She said there is a need for more empowerment programmes to uplift women, fostering an environment where women-led organisations not only flourish but also drive the nation’s advancement forward.
“We must adopt a proactive approach, investing in our future to cultivate an ecosystem where women’s entrepreneurial ventures thrive.
“Together, let us forge a legacy of empowerment and innovation, working towards a future where gender equality is not just an ideal but a fundamental aspect of our societal progress,” she said.
At the event, Nancy presented a mock cheque amounting to US$20,000 (RM94,200) each under the WiE programme to five women-led organisations, namely Early Mind Ripple, LJD, Enoku, Edulab, and Keto.
The organisations will embark on a six-month mentorship with industry expert Mereka, and receive personalised guidance covering essential facets of organisational development, spanning from fundamental business operations and technological integration to impactful marketing and public relations tactics.
Futuremakers has empowered over 2.1 million young people globally, of which 68 per cent were women and girls with education, employability, and entrepreneurial skills.
In September last year, Futuremakers and Mereka launched the WiE in Malaysia to empower local women-led organisations.
The programme began with four workshops focusing on critical business themes, which saw 450 individuals presenting their ideas, and 20 organisations were subsequently selected for a boot camp in February this year.
Futuremakers is a global initiative to tackle inequality by promoting greater economic inclusion in the markets. It supports disadvantaged young people aged 35 or below, especially girls and people with visual impairments, to learn new skills and improve their chances of getting a job or starting their own businesses.
Meanwhile, Mereka is an alternative education space aimed at teaching the skills of the future and building a talent pool that is resourceful, engaged, and informed to take on the challenges of the future.
— Bernama
