Monitoring Report: Gender Equality in Malaysia

The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), together with the Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia (FRHAM) and Justice For Sisters (JFS) organised the Gender Equality Initiative, a project aimed to monitor and support the Malaysian government to implement their commitment towards the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This two-year project is funded by the European Union, dedicated to working with stakeholders, in particular governmental bodies, civil society organisations, media, women and young girls in Perak, Terengganu and at the national level.

In the third UPR Cycle, Malaysia has received several recommendations on gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, access to comprehensive sexuality education and protection of women and girls from violence. Malaysia is urged to accede to relevant Optional Protocols and withdraw reservations to the Convention which hinder the rights of women and girls in Malaysia. As a result, FRHAM was commissioned to conduct a research on the Baseline Monitoring Report containing four thematic areas, namely, a) ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls; (b) eliminating violence against women and girls; (c) eliminating harmful practices against women and girls; and (d) ensuring universal access to SRHR.