KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — A total of 645 women have been groomed under the government’s Women Directors Programme (WDP) this year, to meet the target of having sufficient qualified women decision-makers in the corporate sector by 2016.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the programme would equip women with critical skills to perform their role as decision-makers.

She said the pilot project, launched on February 22 last year, had successfully trained 220 women.

“Thus, the ministry plans to train another 500 women to take up board positions in corporations this year.

“The women will be taught through a structured curriculum, which includes a comprehensive online board readiness assessment, coaching as well as technical and soft skills training.

“They will also go through a board simulation exercise to familiarise themselves with real-life challenges of sitting on boards as directors,” Rohani said when delivering her opening speech at the Women Extraordinaire Forum 2013 here today.

She said between January and November this year, there was a total of 834 placements involving women directors on the boards of public-listed companies.

“As of November, 790 women have registered under this programme. The Women Directors Programme will benefit women tremendously, from policies introduced by the government to promote gender diversity, without depriving men of their rights,” she added.

Rohani also stressed that the government believed women should be able to transfer their education into a successful and lasting career, thus climbing the leadership ladder.

Citing an example, she said the enrolment of women doing their first degree had been consistent at more than 62 per cent since 2009.

“Out of 41,573 students, 28,280 or 68.02 per cent are women who have registered for first degree programme for the 2013/2014 academic year,” noted the minister.

In the professional field, Rohani said the percentage of women professionals had increased from 7.5 per cent in 2005 to 14.8 per cent last year.

The two-day forum which begins today, features leadership, entrepreneurship, lifestyle, health and wealth, in line with one of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s vision to empower women on social enterprise.

Bernama, the Malaysian National News Agency, is a media partner for the forum, which is organised for the first time in the country. — Bernama