KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 ― Women should earn leadership roles due to their capabilities instead of having these positions made available due to “tokenism”, a leading human rights advocate said today.

Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, who founded Mercy Malaysia, said gender inequality in leadership cannot be adequately resolved simply by appointing women to meet a quota.

“You can't just fill up the numbers just because you have to tick a box. I don't like that. I think women have to be capable,” she said during a question and answer session at the Leadership Energy Summit Asia (Lesa) 2014 here.

“I would love to see more women leaders, because I feel women are half the sky. We are 50 per cent of the population, maybe even more, but it doesn't mean a woman should be a token,” she added.

Dr Jemilah, who currently heads the United Nations' World Humanitarian Summit, argued that women have a lot going for them in their innate ability to multi-task, a deep sense of compassion and “sometimes better” communication skills compared to men.

Taking the example of her time in charge of Mercy Malaysia ― which she left in 2009 ― she noted that her gender helped her gain access to women in conflict areas visited by her organisation.

Citing her own example, she said more women must realised their gender’s advantage when they assume leadership roles.

“I don't try to be a man. I never try to be a man. I think it's wrong. I think one of the biggest problems with women when they are in a leadership role, is they think they have to be tough.

“No, you don't have to be like a man. You have to be comfortable in your own skin,” she said.

Dr Jemilah admitted that promoting women in leadership still needs work, but noted that this is where society comes in to help push for that change.

She said it falls on society to provide the support network to help guide and enable women to take leadership opportunities that come their way.

“What you do need are sponsors and mentors, people who believe in you and say 'go, go and do this'. My biggest sponsor is my husband, my family. When I had no funds I turned to my family, and they would contribute, (as did) my friends.

“But the right to that role in leadership is important. It must not be discriminated, and (women must) be given opportunities to lead. But they must also be given the guidance to be good leaders,” Dr Jemilah said.

The issue of a women's quota in leadership cropped up recently when a leader from PAS's Muslimat or women's wing demanded that the Islamist party provide a quota for women in senior leadership in the party.

Muslimat representative Norhayati Bidin told the party's annual muktamar or general assembly that women have long been relegated to “eye candy” and serving tea in the party.

Rival party Umno's Wanita wing had also previously called for a fourth vice-president post to be created for women, not long after Putrajaya annouced in 2011 a policy to push a 30 per cent quota for women in boardrooms.