SUBANG: Selangor has strengthened its leadership in women’s empowerment by hosting the Gender Outlook Forum 2025 as a catalyst for strategic collaboration.
State Women Development and Social Welfare Committee chairman Anfaal Saari said the forum aims to mainstream gender equality in decision-making across all policy sectors.
“In addition, the forum seeks to reinforce government efforts by enhancing capacity, strengthening tools, and leveraging existing resources in line with global commitments,” she told reporters here.
The forum was launched by the Prime Minister’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and attended by Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
Anfaal said women’s participation in the labour force in Selangor stands at 69.8%, exceeding the national female labour force participation rate of 58.5%.
She added that the forum emphasises five key pillars for discussion, namely mainstreaming gender, government capacity and data availability.
Other pillars include preventing violence against women in politics and strengthening democratic participation.
The forum also focuses on reducing gender inequality through investment in the care sector and women’s economic empowerment.
Climate change, green sustainability, and technology complete the five key discussion areas.
Anfaal said Selangor became the first state in Malaysia to initiate the Gender Mainstreaming Pilot Project and the Gender-Responsive Budgeting initiative.
“These initiatives are a clear demonstration of our state’s proactive efforts to align with and contribute to national and ASEAN commitments to advancing gender equality and social inclusion,” she said.
WBS has also launched two flagship leadership programmes, namely the Women Leadership Academy (AKW) and Selangor Women Assembly (SIWANIS).
A cooperation agreement was signed between WBS and the International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) Institute during the event.
The forum was organised by WBS in collaboration with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and three Malaysian universities. – Bernama