Kuala lumpur: A coalition of civil society organisations, academics, and experts has called on the government to embed bold, actionable, and transformative measures on gender equality in the upcoming Budget 2026.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Gender Budget Group (GBG) stated it has drafted a comprehensive memorandum outlining seven key thematic recommendations. The coalition emphasized that gender equality is not only a social imperative but also a strategic driver for Malaysia’s ambition to become a high-income and inclusive MADANI nation.
The group urged the implementation of stronger institutional mechanisms for gender equality. This includes robust results-based key performance indicators (KPIs) for ministries, accelerating the Anti-Discrimination Against Women Bill, and expanding the collection of gender and disability-disaggregated data for evidence-based policymaking.
GBG also highlighted the need for inclusive infrastructure planning through the adoption of universal design principles and s
uggested constitutional amendments to strengthen protections for women and persons with disabilities.
Addressing economic opportunities, the coalition pointed out the stagnation in women’s labour force participation rate at around 56 to 57 per cent. They recommended measures such as expanding returnship programmes, mandating gender pay gap reporting, incentivising flexible work arrangements, and boosting investments in the care economy.
The group noted that the civil service has yet to achieve even one per cent employment of persons with disabilities, despite a quota pledged since 1988. They called for Budget 2026 to address this by ring-fencing and expanding incentives.
In terms of social protection, GBG called for reforms to strengthen retirement security, pilot a national long-term care policy, and make childcare subsidies more accessible, particularly for middle-income families. They also urged for higher funding for shelters and crisis hotlines, enhanced training for frontline responders, and targeted
action to tackle technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
In education, the coalition proposed strengthening early childhood education, addressing menstrual health poverty, and ensuring inclusive classrooms with sufficient resources and assistive technology for students with disabilities.
Finally, GBG called for increased investment in preventive healthcare, including support programmes for teenage mothers, initiatives to address women’s health gaps, and national awareness campaigns and workplace policies on menopause.