Kuala Lumpur: The third edition of the National Women’s Policy (DWN) and Women’s Development Action Plan (PTPW) 2025-2030 serves as a strategic guide to implement programmes, initiatives and collaborative efforts by all stakeholders. Women’s Development Department (JPW) director-general Hanani Sapit said the renewed policy reflects the government’s ongoing commitment under the Malaysia Madani framework to uphold and elevate the status of women, ensuring they continue to be respected, celebrated and recognised across sectors, both locally and globally.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, this policy is led by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and is not solely the responsibility of the ministry. It is a national-level policy involving federal and state governments, the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and civil society. The updated policy focuses on four key areas, namely economy, leadership, safety and well-being. Implementation began immediately following its launch on March 8 in conjunction with International Women’s Day.

Hanani emphasized that in drafting the policy, the government strengthened engagement with ministries, agencies and NGOs to ensure it is embedded at the grassroots levels. At the same time, JPW, through its State Women’s Development Offices, will continue to intensify advocacy and literacy programmes in communities. The DWN and PTPW 2025-2030 aim to enable women to participate meaningfully and realise their full potential through inclusive development and gender equality.

The slogan ‘Empowering Women, Strengthening the Nation’ was adopted to reflect the role of women as national assets, capable of shaping the country’s economic growth, given that they make up nearly 50 per cent of Malaysia’s population. The policy also emphasises the importance of shared leadership between men and women in national development, in line with the demographic ratio of 111 men for every 100 women.

Hanani noted that this inclusive approach is crucial to ensure that policy and programme development remains people-friendly and socially inclusive. Gender equality is not just a moral goal, but a critical driver of economic and social progress. Women’s representation in leadership is crucial for ensuring initiatives are designed with a comprehensive perspective that considers women’s specific needs.

By creating an enabling environment where women have equal opportunities to lead, they can contribute fully across sectors, from the economy to governance, ultimately elevating the nation. Progress under the previous policy was cited, noting that women’s representation on the boards of Malaysia’s Top 100 Public Listed Companies rose from 25.5 per cent in 2021 to 32.2 per cent as of October last year.

This aligns with the government’s goal of achieving at least 30 per cent women’s representation in decision-making roles, including in the public sector, Parliament, local authorities and private sector. Based on the 2023 Labour Force Survey, female labour force participation stands at 56.2 per cent, compared to 82.3 per cent for men.

Through the DWN, the government aims to raise women’s participation in the workforce to 60 per cent. This target aligns with the broader aspirations of the Madani Economy framework. Empowering women economically not only strengthens families and communities, but also contributes significantly to national gross domestic product (GDP).