This year’s theme for the International Women’s Day is a theme that brings awareness on the importance of gender equality alongside intensifying our effort in bringing it to the forefront of all important sectors, including women’s leadership on every angle and corner.

In a narrative of #ChooseToChallenge or #MemilihUntukMencabar this year, I urge that we take an approach to uplift the honour of mankind (karamah insaniyyah) which will not compromise on the issue of injustice and oppression cutting across gender line.

The question of gender equality is pertinent, and it is part of our effort in championing human rights.

The same appreciation must be extended to all parties fighting for equality and equity, without prejudice and discrimination in elevating the rights of all citizens, as ensured in the Constitution.

KEADILAN would like to state its support for the agenda of uplifting this gender group into the mainstream, as demonstrated by our role as the catalyst for ‘Gender Responsive Budget’ and ‘Gender Sensitivity Policy’ agenda introduced on a state-level in states under Pakatan’s rule.

The issue of gender equality alone cannot answer all the underlying major issues because only the society that give weight to social justice can bring about equality, justice, peace and respect for one another

Rising cases of domestic abuse during this pandemic has been called a ‘pandemic within a pandemic’, as well as rising cases of sexual harassment that shows significant increase during the MCO including online harassment. Going by this, there is a pressing need for the Sexual Harassment Act to be tabled in Parliament and the august body needs to reconvene to allow for the bill to be tabled, debated and approved.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

#ChooseToChallenge
#MemilihUntukMencabar