Women's Groups Call for Gender-Focused Review of 2027 Budget

Women's advocacy groups have called on Members of Parliament to scrutinise the 2027 budget through a gender lens, citing concerns that the financial plan does not sufficiently tackle key issues affecting women in Malaysia. The organisations argue that the budget framework overlooks critical areas that disproportionately impact women and girls across the country. In a statement, the groups expressed disappointment at what they characterise as gaps in addressing systemic challenges facing women in Malaysian society. The civil society representatives have specifically highlighted three priority areas they believe require greater budgetary attention and policy focus. First, they point to the inadequate allocation of resources to combat gender-based violence, citing the continued prevalence of domestic abuse and sexual assault cases. Second, the groups underscore the need for targeted investments to improve women's economic participation and job creation in sectors where female workers face barriers to entry and advancement. Third, they emphasise that the budget fails to properly account for and address the economic value and impact of unpaid care work, which falls disproportionately on women and limits their workforce participation. The advocacy groups have urged legislators to commission a detailed gender impact assessment of the budget proposals before finalisation, arguing that such analysis would identify opportunities to better align fiscal priorities with women's rights and development objectives.