Berhenti bertekak soal istilah, mari selesaikan nasib wanita Malaysia

Malaysia's gender gap ranking has placed the country at 104 out of 145 economies in the 2026 Global Gender Gap Report. This ranking highlights the disparity between men and women in the country. The majority of Malaysians, both men and women, spend more than five hours per day working at home and caring for family members without pay. However, women take on a larger share of this responsibility, averaging six hours and seven minutes daily, compared to men who work four hours and 20 minutes.

The issue at hand is the lives of women, the responsibility of managing households, and the struggle for livelihood in Malaysia today. These concerns can be seen through statistics. In the Global Gender Gap Report 2026, Malaysia is ranked 104th out of 145 economies in measuring the gap between men and women. The reality of our society can also be seen in the participation of women in the workforce.

Official data as of mid-2026 shows that the female labor participation rate is 57.3%, compared to 82.9% for men. Why is this gap still so significant when many of our women are highly educated? Among the issues that need attention is the responsibility of family and household that continues to influence someone's participation in the job market.

Every day, Malaysians spend an average of more than five hours working at home and caring for family members without pay. However, women bear a larger share, with an average of six hours and seven minutes per day, compared to men who work four hours and 20 minutes. When a child is sick, school is closed, or parents become older, who is usually the one who has to sacrifice working hours?

This is not to blame anyone, but to open our eyes to the fact that our workplace and society still need to make more efforts to help husband and wife share responsibilities more equally. This is why discussions on the rights of men and women in Malaysia cannot be one-sidedly based on Western views. The daily life of a professional woman in the far-away capital city is different from that of a single mother in a village.

Their life paths are shaped by income, religion, social background, and tradition. In our country, religion and family are not just personal matters, but core issues of society. Any effort to protect the fate of women must be rooted in values of fairness, trust, and common well-being closely related to our society's life, not just borrowing opinions from abroad.

Fair service also means that there is no war between men and women. Men, too, are fathers, sons, husbands, and colleagues. Encouraging men to equally take care of children and do household chores is not just about relieving women's burden, but helping to build a more responsible family. Rational discussions seek no enemies; they seek a way out.

Ultimately, we face opportunities, jobs, family responsibilities, and compassionate service every day. We can investigate views from abroad to understand the situation, but the path to a solution must be in line with local guidelines. The most important thing is not winning the term 'feminism', but our courage to build a fair society for both men and women.

The author is a PhD candidate in the field of leadership studies who studies responsive, fair, and balanced leadership between men and women. This article is the author's opinion and does not necessarily reflect FMT.