Rohani: Women still under-represented in political arena

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Rohani (centre) witnessing the exchange of documents between National Council for Women Organisations (NCWO) president, Tan Sri Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hassan Shahabudin and ASLI chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah after giving her address at the ‘Women in Leadership Summit and Exhibition 2016’. — Bernama photo

Rohani (centre) witnessing the exchange of documents between National Council for Women Organisations (NCWO) president, Tan Sri Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hassan Shahabudin and ASLI chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah after giving her address at the ‘Women in Leadership Summit and Exhibition 2016’. — Bernama photo

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is committed to ensuring women are given equal opportunities in terms of socio-economics and politics.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said despite the commitment, women were still under-represented in the political sphere.

“Although capable women have been given opportunities to contest in (general) elections for their constituencies at both state and federal level, the number of female candidates elected to office in the 2008-2013 election remains at 10.4 per cent, a slight increase from the 2004 (general) election (9.6 per cent).

“The number of female members for Dewan Negara, on the other hand, performed better as the percentage of women appointed as senators increased from below 20 per cent to almost 30 per cent,” she said in her opening remarks at the Women in Leadership Summit and Exhibition 2016 on Sunday.

Organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), the summit is aimed at seeking integrated solution to empowering and advancing women, especially in leadership roles.

Rohani said the number of women occupying minister and deputy minister posts was one of mixed fortune.

“During the 1995-2014 period, the number of women appointed ministers remained unchanged at two. The number of women appointed deputy ministers had slightly better luck as it was increased by three appointments in 2013, namely five as compared to only two in 1995 and 2000,” she noted.

As such, Rohani revealed that it was anticipated this lop-sided representation would change over the coming years as the public was slowly recognising women as political leaders.

“When this happens, we will see greater representation of women in politics. This process can be accelerated with the commitment of each political party to woo more women as members and selecting them as election candidates,” she said.

In terms of socio-economics, Rohani revealed the government had created an enabling environment for women to remain in the labour force, especially those with young families.

“Some of it include the introduction of incentives and tax exemption to encourage the setting up of child-care centres at the work place, child-care fee subsidy of RM150 for each child for parents with household income of below RM4,500 per month in the public sector.

“Additionally, the enactment of Employment Regulations 2010 (Part-Time Employees) which came into force on Oct 1, 2010, has enabled more women, particularly housewives, to enter the labour force on a part-time basis,” she said.

To further encourage women to return to the workforce, Rohani said the government had launched the Women Career Comeback Grant on March 2, last year.

“The grant’s main purpose is to retain women at work, encourage those who have left the workforce to return to work and motivate women to rise to senior management roles,” she explained, revealing the grant had benefited some 190 women in the private sector, thus far. — Bernama